This staple but simple Thai recipe is a great one to have in your collection. It is a super easy and very tasty meal you can have on the table in well under half an hour and looks as good as it tastes.
Kaffir Lime LeavesTear most in half for cooking and the remainder Julienne for garnish.
Spur ChiliCut diagonally for garnish
Instructions
Making Panang Paste
Roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds in a medium-high heat dry pan. No oil!
Pound coriander & cumin seed while it is hot then add peanuts and pound coarsely. Add red curry paste and mix it together well. Set aside
Making Panang Curry
Heat the coconut cream until the fat starts to separate and then add the Panang paste. Stir together on medium heat until the mixture begins to give off a nice aroma.
Add in the palm sugar and stir to dissolve and then add in half the fish sauce and stir to mix in. Taste and add in more fish sauce until the desired taste is achieved.
Add the chicken slices and continue stir for about 8 minutes until the chicken is just cooked. The time needed will depend on cooking heat.
When chicken nearly cooked add half of the sliced chili spur and torn kaffir lime leaves, cooking for a further few mins until the chicken cooked through.
Serve with both the remaining a few slices of chili spur and julienned kaffir lime leaves as a garnish, and freshly cooked jasmine rice.
I like my curries spicy so please take care with the quantity of paste. If using a Thai paste try starting with half quantity and adjust to taste. Fish sauce is VERY salty. So again take care with quantities, starting with half the recipe amount and adjust in several tasting stages. Fish sauces also vary in level of saltiness between brands.
This dish can do for Panang Beef, Panang Pork as well as Panang Chicken Curries
Beware, do not over cook the chicken otherwise it will be tough
For Panang Beef use Tenderloin do not overcook it. If you use another cut like beef shank it will likely be tough. In this case precook the beef by sautéing with coconut milk first to make it tender.
Vegans & Vegetarians can use Tofu or other protein substitutes but still need to check the Curry Paste. Most Panang pastes contain shrimp paste as an ingredient.
This recipe contains nuts - people with nut allergies must omit the nuts altogether and use Red Curry Paste (nut free) and add Cumin and Corriander only.
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