The Panang curry is among the most sought-after Thai dishes, and it’s famous for its bright and vibrant makrut lime, the coconut milk that is fatty and a variety of other spices.
In this recipe, you’ll learn to create Panang curry paste by using a mortar and pestle (or an food processor) to make delicious and tender beef Panang at home any time.
What exactly is Panang curry?
Panang curry, also called phanaeng, originated from central Thailand and was first introduced in the 19th century. The authentic red curry is prepared with chile peppers makrut lime (also called Thai lime) leaves and juice coconut milk, along with other spices. These ingredients make it have a spicy sweet, salty, and nutty flavour. Even though it’s colored red however, it is lower in spice than other Thai curries that are red.
The kind of Panang we’re creating here
My personal favorite beef Panang comes from a local eatery, Thai Nakorn, and it’s hands-down the best in flavor and tenderness of the meat. This beef Panang differs than other Panang I’ve had at other places But, stick with me.
I am awestruck by how this place prepares it since it uses dense and tender braised cubes of beef. Large cuts of meat make for more striking presentation. The dish is also loaded with vegetables and herbs that you won’t get within other Panang curries, such as pieces of bell peppers that are lightly cooked, but still crisp (instead of chili peppers) They also garnish it with an amazing aroma of Thai basil. I like getting a bit of the basil into every bite, as its intense flavor and scent, like in Phở is a perfect match along with the meal.
Ingredients in Panang curry recipe
Traditional Panang curry there are many different ingredients used in the paste as well as the curry. I prefer to make Panang paste by hand and make it using shallots as well as red chile powder the lemongrass plant, peanuts roasted galangal, garlic peels, cumin powder coriander along with shrimp paste. To make the curry, I mix it with coconut milk palm sugar as well as makrut lime leaves and juice.
The curry paste you should make use of
Although there are numerous ingredients needed to make Panang curry paste You can also make use of already-made Panang paste available at the market.
Premade curry paste
If you don’t have the time or the resources to locate the ingredients, you can locate pre-made Panang Curry in your favorite Asian supermarket. A well-known brand is Panang Curry Paste.
Homemade panang curry paste
I prefer to make the paste by hand whenever I have the time, so that I can make various flavor profiles. When making the paste I employ a traditional mortar and pestle ensure all the ingredients are blended. I’ve used a previous food processor and it worked also, but you’ll need scrape the sides and then process it a dozen times before you get the consistency of a thick paste.
This recipe yields two portions for Panang paste, so you can keep some in the freezer for a later date. It will also help you make it easier to prepare!
Protein options
My preferred kind of Panang curry is made with beef, however you can also make it with fish, chicken or even tofu if you prefer. Traditionally it is beef Panang includes strips of meat cuts such as chuck roast (or in reality, any kind of beef you’d like) however, I discovered that the majority of strips of beef were not cooked enough, and they dried up.
Beef cuts to use
This recipe is making use of short ribs of beef and cutting into cubes large enough to be sliced then searing them and braising them in a spiced coconut milk/water blend for over an hour to ensure that it is tender and delicious. I’ve cooked this using less lean cuts of beef however, after braising it for a bit, it will soften but I still like the fatty taste. The short-ribs from beef (there’s no bones in this recipe) are extremely soft and more soft due to the greater fat content. They’re not a cheap cut, but I enjoy cooking it this way.
How thick is the meat?
The more thickly you cut the meat, the more time you’ll need to braise. Cuts that are thicker look great to present, in my opinion and braising provides super soft, moist and delicious pieces of beef.
If you aren’t able to grill the meat, it is also possible to cook the meat traditionalally through cutting thin slices and then cooking it in the curry at the end of cooking time. However, I’d recommend making sure that you watch the meat during cooking to avoid it overcooking.
How do you create Thai panang curry
After you’ve got the Panang paste as well as braised beef, it’s time to begin to make the curry! What’s unique when creating Panang curry is the fact that you boil a portion of the coconut milk as well as paste until it has an even stronger taste. After that, you add palm sugar as well as fish sauce, red bell peppers, makrut leaves as well as juices to combine.
I then add the curry liquid back into the braising pot along with the meat, in order to preserve all the delicious liquids from the curry. I let it simmer for another 10 minutes so that all the flavors blend. Add Thai fresh basil, and enjoy.
Storage and service
I like making the beef Panang Curry with Jasmine coconut rice because it’s a light , mild flavor that is perfect to go in with the curry. They taste delicious together and you’ll certainly want to make the recipe again and again. If you’d like this recipe, it’s great with simple jasmine rice as well.
Panang curry is best enjoyed with an iced glass Thai tea iced and if you’re fond of dessert, you’ll want ending your evening by eating sweet rice made of mango also. If you have leftovers, store the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days, then heat them up using a microwave.
For different curries You can also make butter chicken or Vietnamese chicken curry (ca ri ga).
Thai Panang Curry Recipe (w/ Beef and Vegetables)
Equipment
- mortar and pestle (or food processor or strong blender)
- Cutting board and knife
- Dutch oven or stock pot
- saute pan
Ingredients
MEAT BRAISE
- 660 g beef short rib preferred, or chuck, etc
- salt for seasoning beef
- vegetable oil for searing
- 113 g (4 fl oz) coconut milk full fat
- 946 g (32 fl oz) filtered water
- 3 g (1 tsp) salt for seasoning braise
- lemongrass stalks just the greens from leftover panang paste
PANANG PASTE (THIS MAKES TWO RECIPES WORTH OF PASTE)
- 2 g (1 tsp) coriander seeds
- 17 g (2 tbsp) roasted peanuts
- 16 g (1 stalk) lemongrass yellow center pieces
- 83 g (2 ) shallots sliced
- 25 g (1 inch) galangal peeled and chopped
- 22 g (7 cloves) garlic
- 4 g (½ tbsp) dried chile powder
- 11 g (1 medium) makrut lime peels
- 2 g (1 tsp) cumin powder
- 7 g (1 tsp) shrimp paste
- 3 g (1 tsp) salt
CURRY
- 282.5 g (1 ¼ c) coconut milk full fat
- 22 g (2 tbsp) palm sugar
- 5 g (1 tsp) fish sauce
- 3 makrut lime leaves
- 9 g (1 medium) makrut lime juice add more if necessary
- red bell pepper optional (julienned)
- Thai basil optional
Instructions
MEAT BRAISE
- Slice the meat into approximately 2.5 inch cubes . Dry each piece completely. Sprinkle both sides of the meat with large pinches of salt from kosher up to 2 hours prior to grilling and then rest them on baking sheets or on a rack to dry out.
- In a pan set on medium-high temperature add vegetable oil. cook on all sides beef for about one minute for each side. Repeat this process with the remaining pieces of meat, then transfer them to a plate once you're done.
- Put approximately 1 cup water to the pot. Use an old spoon for scraping off the crusty bottom of the pot. Add the remaining liquid and the beef to the pot. Bring the water to a boil. cook for approximately 10 minutes.
- Get rid of any scum floating over above the surface of the pan.
- Incorporate the coconut milk, salt and lemongrass leaves to the pot. Stir to mix it all with the meat and water.
- After boiling, reduce the temperature to a low reduce the heat to a simmer. The meat is then broiled up to 1 1/2 hours, or till the meat becomes tender. Make sure to check the meat at least every 30 minutes and add more water when the meat is over that water level. The final result will be tender meat and a coconut liquid that is slightly thick.
PANANG PASTE
- With a pestle and mortar (or food processor) grind the coriander seeds as well as peanuts. Incorporate each of the ingredients one at a to the mortar until ingredients are incorporated into a smooth paste. I had to lift the lid of my food processor and scrape the sides around a dozen times until the ingredients were thoroughly processed.
- If you didn't increase or decrease the amount of this recipe it should make enough curry paste to make two batches. Transfer the paste half into an airtight container, and utilize for recipes in the future.
CURRY
- Within a skillet set over medium heat, add 12 of coconut milk. Let it cook for around an hour or so or until thick. Here's what it looks like after it's cooked.
- Incorporate 1/2 from the rest of paste into the pot and cook over medium heat.
- Cook until oil starts to separate, which takes about 2 minutes.
- Add the fish sauce along with palm sugar, Makrut lime juice as well as the remaining of coconut milk. Stir until combined.
- Then add the mixture to the stockpot with the braised meat, and stir to mix. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes, and add water if the mixture becomes too thick. Taste it to determine the flavor. You may add more chile powder if like more spice. You can also you can add more sugar for sweetness or lime juice to add acidity.
- All you need to do is add sliced bell peppers, and cook for about 1-2 minutes until it's still crisp. Add Thai basil, and let it simmer until it begins to wilt. Include lime leaves just before serving.
- Serve with white rice that has been steamed as well as coconut rice.
