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PANANG CURRY RECIPE

Name: PANANG CURRY RECIPE
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 3 to 4 tbsp Panang curry paste (Mae Ploy or Maesri brand recommended); 8 to 10 Dried red chilies, soaked in warm water 20 minutes, drained; 1 stalk Lemongrass, white part only, thinly sliced; 3 slices Galangal, fresh or frozen, roughly chopped; 4 cloves Garlic, peeled; 3 Shallots, peeled and roughly chopped; 4 Kaffir lime leaves, stems removed, torn; 1 tsp Shrimp paste (kapi) or 1 tbsp white miso for vegetarian; 2 tbsp Roasted peanuts, unsalted; 1 tsp Ground coriander; 1/2 tsp Ground cumin; 1/2 tsp White pepper; 600g (1.3 lb) Beef sirloin or chicken thighs, sliced 1cm thick against the grain; 400ml (1 can) Full-fat coconut milk, unshaken (the thick cream at the top is used first); 200ml (3/4 cup) Full-fat coconut cream; 2 tbsp Fish sauce (or soy sauce for vegetarian); 1 tbsp Palm sugar or light brown sugar; 6 to 8 Fresh kaffir lime leaves, stems removed, 4 torn and added during cooking, 2 to 3 chiffonade for garnish; 2 long Red chilies, sliced diagonally, for garnish and mild heat; 2 tbsp Roasted peanuts, roughly crushed, for garnish; 1 tbsp Neutral oil, if needed for frying the paste; Steamed jasmine rice For serving; Optional: fresh Thai basil leaves For garnish

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Total 35m

Prep 10m

Cook 25m

Serves 4

Level medium

Panang curry is a Thai curry that sits between a red curry and a massaman in character. Thicker than a red curry, richer, less brothy, and with a natural sweetness from coconut milk that isn't typical of green curry. The flavor is complex in a way that a single-note spice blend can't replicate: roasted dried chilies, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime, shrimp paste, and roasted peanuts all ground into a paste that forms the entire backbone of the dish.

What makes panang curry different from red curry? Two things primarily. Panang paste contains ground peanuts, which red curry paste doesn't. And panang is cooked with far less liquid than red curry, producing a thick, almost creamy sauce that clings to the protein rather than sitting as a loose broth around it. Panang curry sauce should coat the back of a spoon heavily. Red curry pours off.

Where does panang curry come from? It's Central Thai in origin, with the name likely derived from Penang, the Malaysian island, reflecting the culinary exchange between southern Thailand and northern Malaysia. It appears in Thai royal cuisine records from the early 20th century and has been a staple of Thai restaurant menus internationally since Thai food began reaching global audiences in the 1970s and 1980s.

What protein works best? Beef is the most traditional choice for panang, specifically slow-braised beef that becomes tender enough to yield to the thick sauce. Chicken thighs are faster and equally good. Tofu and mixed vegetables work for a vegetarian version. Shrimp cooks in 3 minutes and is excellent but the sauce needs to be fully developed before the shrimp goes in since there's no time to build flavor during a 3-minute cook.

What does panang curry taste like? Rich, slightly sweet, deeply savory, and gently spicy with a roasted nuttiness from the peanuts in the paste. The kaffir lime leaves stirred in at the end add a citrus-floral note that lifts the whole dish and keeps the coconut richness from feeling heavy.

The biggest mistake people make with panang curry? Using too much liquid. Panang is a thick curry. If yours looks like a soup, the coconut milk was added all at once before the paste was properly fried. The paste needs to fry in the coconut cream first, before any additional liquid goes in, to develop the flavor and set the sauce consistency.

Recipe Profile

3 attributes

Category Main Dishes

Origin Thailand

Season All Season

Ingredients

23 Items

Instructions

5 Steps

Make the homemade paste (if using)

Drain the soaked dried chilies and squeeze out excess water. Add to a blender or mortar with the lemongrass, galangal, garlic, shallots, kaffir lime leaves, shrimp paste, roasted peanuts, ground coriander, cumin, and white pepper. If using a blender, add 2 tablespoons of water to help the blades catch. Blend or pound to a smooth, fragrant paste. Homemade paste has a noticeably fresher, brighter flavor than store-bought. If making from scratch, this step takes 10 minutes with a blender or 20 minutes with a mortar. For a weeknight, Mae Ploy or Maesri panang paste from a can is the right call.

Fry the paste in coconut cream

Open the can of coconut milk without shaking it. Scoop the thick coconut cream from the top of the can into a wok or wide, heavy-bottomed pan. Reserve the thinner coconut liquid below it. Heat the coconut cream over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes until the cream reduces, the oil separates from the solids, and small pools of clear coconut oil appear on the surface. This is called cracking the coconut cream and it's essential. Add the panang paste to the cracked cream and fry, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes until the paste darkens slightly, smells deeply fragrant, and the oil turns orange-red from the chilies. Don't rush this step. Paste that isn't properly fried produces a raw, harsh flavor in the finished curry.

Add the protein

Add the sliced beef or chicken to the fried paste. Toss to coat every piece in the paste. Cook over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the protein is sealed on the outside. For beef, it won't be cooked through yet and that's correct. It finishes in the sauce. For chicken thighs, cook until the outside is white with no raw pink showing before adding liquid.

Add coconut liquid and season

Pour the reserved thin coconut liquid and the additional coconut cream into the pan. Stir to combine. Add the fish sauce, palm sugar, and 4 torn kaffir lime leaves. Stir. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes for chicken, or 20 to 25 minutes for beef, until the protein is fully cooked through and the sauce has thickened to a consistency that coats the back of a spoon heavily. The sauce should look glossy and rich, not watery. Taste and adjust fish sauce for saltiness and sugar for sweetness. Panang should sit at a clear savory-sweet balance with the chili heat coming through underneath.

Finish and serve

Pull the pan off the heat. Add the remaining kaffir lime leaves torn into the curry and stir through. Ladle into bowls over steamed jasmine rice. Garnish with sliced red chilies, a small chiffonade of kaffir lime leaves, crushed roasted peanuts, and Thai basil if using. Drizzle a tablespoon of coconut cream over the top of each bowl for presentation. Panang curry is best eaten immediately while the sauce is at its thickest and most glossy.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving

1064kcal Calories approx.

protein 100%

50.1g

sodium 83%

1916.7mg

cholesterol 44%

132.9mg

Vitamin D 3%

0.5mcg

Calcium 9%

93.7mg

Iron 24%

4.3mg

Potassium 18%

829.4mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

What every cook needs to know about panang curry

Why does the paste need to fry in coconut cream before anything else goes in?

Raw curry paste tastes harsh and one-dimensional. The volatile aromatic compounds in lemongrass, galangal, and dried chilies need heat and fat to bloom and develop their full character. Frying the paste in cracked coconut cream for 3 to 4 minutes caramelizes the sugars in the aromatics, drives off the raw, sharp edge of the chili, and builds a deeply fragrant base that the entire curry flavor develops from. Paste added directly to liquid without frying first produces a thin, flat-tasting curry regardless of how long it simmers.

What does cracking the coconut cream mean?

Cracking the coconut cream means heating it until the water content evaporates and the fat separates from the coconut solids. You'll see the cream go from a thick white liquid to a bubbly, reduced mass with clear pools of coconut oil appearing on the surface. This takes about 3 to 4 minutes over medium-high heat. The separated coconut oil is what fries the paste. Without cracking, there's not enough free fat in the pan to properly fry the aromatics and the paste stews in liquid instead.

Can you use store-bought panang paste?

Yes, and two brands in particular are worth knowing. Mae Ploy and Maesri both make panang paste that uses traditional ingredients including shrimp paste, kaffir lime, and lemongrass. Mae Ploy produces a slightly spicier, more pungent paste. Maesri is milder and more balanced. Both are available at Asian grocery stores and online. Avoid generic supermarket curry pastes marketed as panang. They typically omit key ingredients and the flavor difference is significant.

What is the right consistency for panang curry sauce?

Thick enough to coat the back of a spoon heavily and flow slowly when the spoon is tilted, not drip freely like a broth. If your panang curry looks too thin, simmer uncovered for another 5 to 10 minutes to reduce. If it's too thick and starting to stick to the pan, add a small splash of coconut milk or water and stir. The sauce should cling to the protein rather than pool around it.

Why are kaffir lime leaves so important?

Kaffir lime leaves contain citrus aromatic compounds that are entirely different from lemon or regular lime. They add a floral, citrus-forward fragrance that lifts the richness of the coconut cream and gives panang its characteristic aroma. No other ingredient replicates this. Fresh or frozen kaffir lime leaves are available at Asian grocery stores. Dried kaffir lime leaves are significantly less fragrant and produce a noticeably less aromatic curry. If fresh or frozen are unavailable, a small strip of kaffir lime zest is the closest substitute.

Panang curry is a Central Thai curry made with panang paste, coconut milk, fish sauce, palm sugar, and kaffir lime leaves. It's thicker and richer than red curry because it's cooked with less liquid and contains ground peanuts in the paste. It's typically made with beef or chicken and served over jasmine rice. The name likely derives from Penang, the Malaysian island, reflecting the culinary exchange between southern Thailand and northern Malaysia.

Panang curry is thicker, richer, and slightly sweeter than red curry. Panang paste contains roasted peanuts, which red curry paste doesn't, giving it a distinct nuttiness. Panang is cooked with significantly less liquid and produces a sauce that clings to the protein rather than sitting as a broth around it. Red curry is thinner and more brothy, with a sharper chili heat and less coconut sweetness than panang.

Mae Ploy and Maesri are the two most reliable store-bought panang curry paste brands. Both use traditional ingredients including shrimp paste, kaffir lime, dried chilies, and lemongrass. Mae Ploy is spicier and more pungent. Maesri is milder and slightly more balanced. Both are available at Asian grocery stores and online. Avoid generic supermarket curry pastes labeled as panang, as they typically omit key traditional ingredients.

Yes. Replace the fish sauce with soy sauce or a vegan fish sauce made from seaweed. Use tofu, tempeh, or mixed vegetables instead of meat. For the paste, substitute the shrimp paste with white miso at double the quantity. Use a vegetarian panang paste brand or make your own without shrimp paste. The coconut milk and coconut cream are naturally vegan. The flavor profile shifts slightly but the dish remains rich and deeply aromatic.

Too much liquid was added or the paste wasn't properly fried before the liquid went in. Panang is a thick curry by design. If it's too thin, simmer uncovered over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes to reduce. For future batches, crack the coconut cream fully before adding the paste, fry the paste until fragrant and darkened, and add the remaining coconut liquid gradually rather than all at once.

Beef is the most traditional choice, specifically sliced sirloin or slow-braised short rib for a richer result. Chicken thighs are faster to cook and stay juicy in the thick sauce. Shrimp cooks in 3 minutes and works well if the sauce is fully developed before the shrimp goes in. Tofu absorbs the sauce beautifully when pressed dry and pan-fried before adding. All four are correct choices depending on preference and available time.

Recipe By

Elena Marchetti

Elena Marchetti is Roamfeast's Recipe Expert, developing and testing global recipes for home cooks. With a background in professional kitchens and food writing, she focuses on recipes that are accurate, achievable, and genuinely worth cooking - no filler, no untested shortcuts.