Curried Beef Stew

• 6 dried puya or 3 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 lemongrass stalk, bottom 4" only, tough outer layer removed, cut into 1" pieces
• 2 tablespoons sliced peeled fresh galangal
• 2 tablespoons sliced peeled fresh turmeric
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots
• 1/4 cup halved garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon Thai shrimp paste
• 2 pounds trimmed beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2"-2" cubes
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce, preferably Thai thin soy sauce (such as Healthy Boy)
• 2 tablespoons ground dried Thai chiles
• 9 cups beef broth, preferably low-salt
• 1 cup halved shallots
• 3 medium carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch thick half-moons (about 1 cup)
• 6 fresh or frozen kaffir lime leaves
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Thinly sliced Thai basil

1. In a mortar, pound chiles and salt with a pestle until pulverized, about 5 minutes. Add ingredients one by one in order listed, fully pulverizing each before adding the next, about 15 minutes total. DO AHEAD:
2. Combine curry paste, beef, soy sauce, and ground dried chiles in a pot; stir to evenly coat beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender but not falling apart, 2-2 1/2 hours.
3. Stir in shallots, carrots, and lime leaves. Simmer until vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes. If broth is too salty, add water a few tablespoonfuls at a time.
4. Garnish with cilantro and basil.

puya, kosher salt, stalk, fresh galangal, turmeric, shallots, garlic, shrimp, trimmed beef chuck, soy sauce, ground dried thai chiles, beef broth, shallots, carrots, lime leaves, fresh cilantro, basil

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/curried-beef-stew-380591 (may not work)