With all my posts of various Thai restaurants we have been to, it’s no secret that we love it. Today, I had a craving for Panang but decided it would be a good thing to know how to make it from scratch. I found a simple recipe and made a few changes to make it on the mild side so we could all enjoy it.
Q and I had a fun time at the Asian market picking up the items we needed for the paste. He learned all about kumquats and guava and he picked up treats for himself. He was quite the helper, crushing up some peanuts to top the flavourful curry.
This recipe is adapted from Bon Appetit via Epicurious. I substituted the dried chilies with a red bell pepper and added fragrant ingredients like lemon grass and kaffir leaves. The pungent aroma of the paste filled the kitchen and mellowed when it hit the coconut milk.
To make the curry, I adapted a recipe from Rachel Cooks Thai. I used chicken instead of beef and added the veggies we had in our fridge. Served with a bowlful of delicious coconut rice, it was a satisfying and comforting meal. I’m really looking forward to tomorrow’s leftovers!
Panang Curry Paste
Adapted from Bon Appetit via Epicurious
1 red pepper, cut into chunks
2 fresh lemongrass stalks, thinly sliced
3 TB roasted peanuts
6 dried kaffir leaves
1 large shallot, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 TB crushed ginger
1 serrano chile, chopped
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender. Process until a paste forms, adding a small amount of water if necessary.
Panang Curry
Adapted from Rachel Cooks Thai
1 can coconut milk
3 TB panang curry paste
3 chicken breasts, cubed
1 red pepper
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
4 kaffir lime leaves
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
Scoop the top 1/3 cup of thicker coconut milk off the top of a newly opened can and into a large pan. Heat the coconut milk over medium heat until it starts to boil and separate.
Add the curry paste and stir into the coconut milk until its well incorporated. Then add your chicken and veggies and coat them with the curry paste.
Add the rest of the coconut milk and let the chicken cook.
Once the chicken and veggies are cooked, add the kaffir lime leaves and season with fish sauce and sugar.
Top with cilantro peanuts and serve with coconut rice.
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