This is a real Panang Curry recipe for curry connoisseurs who adore authentic Thai food!
But if you truly want the best, its worth it.
You cant get good Panang curry in jars!
The curry paste is a quick 30 second stick blender blitz!
Make this creamy coconut Panang curry with either prawns/shrimp or chicken.
Even the Panang curry paste by my favourite Maesri brand falls too short compared to homemade.
Well, maybe thats going too far.
It makes a tasty enough curry.
But not a real deal Panang curry!
What Panang curry tastes like
Panang Curry tastes like a more intense version ofThai Red Curry.
The curry paste is a quick 30 second stick blender blitz!
Panang curry is spicy.
Panang curry is spicy.
How spicy, you ask?Thais would class this Panang curry as medium or not so spicy.
For Westerners, its probably getting up towards hot.
General consensus amongst my team is that its a 7 out of 10 on the spicy scale.
- Spiciness testing:My team and I worked on this Panang curry recipe a LOT.
Nice close up of that dreamy peanut-y, coconut-y and yes, spicy sauce!
OK, due warning on the topic of spiciness given.
On to the recipe!
Then all the good stuff that goes in the curry!
In particular,Thai Red Curry because the ingredients are virtually the same!
Dried chilli Key ingredient, so discussed below.
Dont get this wrong you will regret it!
This is the best shrimp paste. Best flavour! But if you can’t find it, don’t fret – see the recipe for an easy substitute.
Lemongrass Fresh is best but if you cant get it, use 1 tablespoon of lemongrass paste instead.
Galangal looks like ginger but is more citrusy and harder.
Use in place of shrimp paste in recipe.
Kaffir lime leaves Earthy lime flavour unlike anything else!
Sold at Asian stores, Harris Farms & large grocery stores in Australia.
Freezes 100% perfectly used inThai red curry,coconut rice,Thai meatballs.
Eschalot(US: Shallot) Also known as French onions and called shallots in the US.
They are like baby onions, but with purple-skinned flesh.
Not to be confused with what some people in Australia call shallots, ie.
the long green onions.Substitutewith half a red onion.
Garlic 5 whole cloves!
Peanuts This is what gives the Panang curry the signature peanut-y flavour.
Beats using a scoop of peanut butter any day!
Dried spices Cumin, coriander and nutmeg.
It is also what makes Panang curry spicy.
But if you reduce the chilli, you will lose sauce flavour.
Chilli punch in matters!
!UseChinesedried chillies, not Thai or Indian!
Same with some Indian chillies, like kashmiri.
Lets just say my team and I put our bodies on the line to figure this out!!
*Check label for country of origin.
- You want chillies from China.
The brand I use is pictured above.
Amount to use We need 1/2 cup chillies once chopped, so start with about 2/3 cup whole chillies.
Be sure to deseed thoroughly the seeds are where most of the spiciness is!
The protein chicken or prawns/shrimp
The base recipe calls for fresh, whole prawns/shrimp.
This underlines the sweet, prawn-y flavours of this curry and catapults it intowowterritory.
Prevent screen from sleeping
However, weve also made it with chicken and its extremely good too!
Chicken stock?Yes!
Store bought fish/seafood stock is really not good.
Panang curry sauce
Heres what you need for the sauce and other add-ins for the curry.
Coconut cream More intense coconut flavour than using coconut milk, and thickens the sauce too.
No point using low-fat because fat is where all the flavour is.
Fish sauce Provides most of the salt in the curry, but with more savoury flavour.
Sugar Just a touch, because Thai food is all about balancing the sweet-salty-savoury!
Thai basil leaves Fresh herb used in Thai cooking that tastes like Italian basil with a slight aniseed flavour.
Substitute with Italian basil.
How to make Panang Curry
The making part is very straight forward and quite quick actually.
The step that takes the longest is soaking the dried chillies!
If youre using chicken, you could skip this step.
15 minute simmer Place chicken stock, prawn heads and shells in a saucepan.
Strainthe stock and discard the prawn heads.
We started with 1 1/2 cups of stock, you should end up with around 1 1/4 cups.
Top up if you are short.
Then set the stock aside for 5 minutes to let the sediment settle to the bottom.
We will avoid pouring that bottom layer into our sauce.
Be thorough here the seeds is where most of the spiciness is!
I got slack one day and lets just say Iseriouslyregretted it.
Soak 30 minutes Roughly chop the chillis then soak in boiling water for 30 minutes.
Drainand reserve the chilli soaking liquid.
We will be using some for the curry paste.
Blitz Put the peanuts into a jug just large enough to fit the head of a stick blender.
Cover the jar with your hand to stop the peanuts from flying everywhere and blitz into a rough paste.
Then add all the remaining curry paste ingredients and blitz until smooth.
It only takes around 20 seconds or so.
Note: you’re able to also use a small food processor.
Youll struggle to make this in a large food processor as there is not enough curry paste.
Making Panang curry
This part is nice and quick about 10 minutes from start to finish!
This intensifies the flavour.
Add coconut cream, sugar, fish sauce and salt.
Add the beansthen simmer for 2 minutes until the beans are half cooked.
Add prawns,stir, then simmer for another 2 minutes until the prawns are cooked.
They cook quickly and will keep cooking as we finish it!
Serve Then finally, stir in the Thai basil leaves.
Serve overjasmine ricegarnished with chopped peanuts, chilli and more Thai basil leaves!
Another RecipeTin team effort!
A curry chapter that was removed at the last minute because my book was too big!
We really do think this is an exceptional Panang Curry.
Youd be hard pressed to find one as good other than at the really top tier Thai restaurants.
In Sydney, Id only recommend Long Chim and Spice I Am.
Remember be brave with the chillies!
Go on, it’s possible for you to do it!
YES, Dozer will be waddling around a ballroom in his tux.
Theres still some tickets available see below for information!
Tickets herefor a dinner hosted byDymocks book storeat the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney on Thursday 10th August.
