Gaeng Panang (Panang curry) is often made with pork or chicken but can be easily adapted to other meats like lamb and seasonal vegetables. Panang Curry Paste is a slightly sweet and nutty paste with a mild spiciness, often featuring peanuts.
Gaeng Panang (Panang curry) Recipe
Serves 4–6
Prep: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ cup Nam prik gaeng panang (panang curry paste, see below)
400 ml (13½ fl oz) coconut milk
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) pork, chicken or tofu, sliced
1–2 tablespoons fish sauce (or soy sauce for vegetarian)
1–2 tablespoons palm sugar
30 g (1 oz/¼ cup) sliced green beans
40 g (1½ oz/¼ cup) sliced capsicum (bell pepper)
3-4 makrut lime leaves, torn
Sliced red chilli to garnish (optional)
Basil leaves to garnish (optional)
Jasmine rice to serve
Method:
Start the curry base
Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the curry paste and fry until fragrant. Stir in half of the coconut milk, simmering until the oil begins to separate.
Add protein
Add your protein of choice and cook for 3–4 minutes until coated in the paste. Stir through the remaining coconut milk, fish sauce and palm sugar until combined and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add vegetables and serve
When the meat is almost cooked, add the beans andcapsicum and cook for another 3–4 minutes until the meat is cooked and the sauce has thickened. Add the makrut lime leaves and garnish with chilli and basil if desired. Serve with steamed rice.
Nam Prik Gaeng Panang (Panang Curry Paste) Recipe
Slightly sweet and nutty with a mild spiciness, often featuring peanuts.
Makes about 125g (4 1/2 OZ / 1/2 CUP)
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon shrimp paste
6 dried red chillies, soaked
3 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons chopped galangal
3 stalks finely chopped lemongrass
2 Asian shallots
1 teaspoon makrut lime zest
40 g (1½ oz/¼ cup) roasted peanuts
Method:
Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a dry frying pan then grind them with the shrimp paste in a mortar and pestle or food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients, including the peanuts, and pound or blend into a paste.
Store in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
This is an edited extract from Thai: Anywhere and Everywhere by Nat Thaipun (Hardie Grant Books, $50 AUD/$60 NZD). Available in stores nationally. Photography: © David Loftus.
