Thai-style Beef Curry

Ingredients

• (30 ml) vegetable oil
  2 tbsp
• (30 ml) curry paste or powder
  2 tbsp
• (450 g) beef stew meat

  trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch (3 cm) pieces
  1 lb
• bay (laurel) leaves
  2 unit
• (375 ml) coconut milk
  1½ cups
• (375 ml) beef stock
  1½ cups
• (45 ml) Asian fish sauce (nam pla

  nuoc mam)
  3 tbsp
• (30 ml) lime or lemon juice
  2 tbsp
• (15 ml) sugar
  1 tbsp
• (450 g) new potatoes

  halved
  1 lb
• (110 g) pearl onions

  peeled
  ¼ lb
• (110 g) green beans (haricots)

  halved
  ¼ lb
• red bell pepper (capsicum) cored

  seeded, and cut into thin strips
  1 unit
• (250 ml) unsalted roasted peanuts

  coarsely chopped, plus additional for garnish (optional)
  1 cup