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Thai Panang Curry with Beef - an authentic Panang curry fried in thick coconut cream, providing a thick, creamy, soup-like gravy.
What Is Thai Panang
An authentic Thai Panang curry is fried in thick coconut cream as opposed to boiling, providing a thick, creamy, soup-like gravy.
It is a type of red Thai curry that is salty and sweet, with a nutty peanut flavor.
The name of the curry – Panang/Phanaeng, originates from my hometown, the beautiful island of Penang on the west coast of Malaysia.
And in most Thai restaurants, other than Thai Red Curry with chicken, beef is the most famous choice, best suited for a Panang curry.
Main Ingredients For Panang Curry
- Beef
- Kaffir Lime Leaves
- Coconut Cream
- Palm Sugar
- Fish Sauce
- Coriander Powder
- Cumin Powder
- Galangal
- Lemongrass
- Shrimp Paste
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Panang curry has ground peanuts, which isn’t used in red or green curries. Panang is also less spicy but sweeter than the red curry. As for green curry, it is sweet but not as sweet as the Panang. It’s spicier than Panang but not as spicy as the red curry. Furthermore, panang curry has the thickness that you won’t find in the other curries due to the coconut cream.
Thai Panang curry has a lot of delicious spices and herbs, adding to its delicious flavor. Read below to find the recipe.
This recipe has 611 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Beef Panang Curry
This dish is best served with white rice. For a wholesome Thai meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Other Recipes You Might Like
Beef Panang Curry
Ingredients
- 1 lb (500g) beef, sliced into about 1/4-inch (5mm) thick (I use chuck roast here)
- 5 tablespoons oil
- 3 kaffir lime leaves, thinly shredded
- 16 oz (455g) coconut cream , or coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar, or sugar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- salt and sugar , to taste
Panang Curry Spice Paste:
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2- inch (1cm) galangal, chopped
- 1 lemongrass, use white part only, cut into 2-inch (5cm) length
- 1 tablespoon cilantro stems , or roots
- 2 shallots
- 2 clove garlic
- 1 1/2 tablespoons red-skin roasted peanuts
- 1 teaspoon shrimp paste, belacan
Instructions
- Blend all the Spice ingredients into a smooth paste.
- Heat oil in a wok and stir-fry the kaffir lime leaves for 30 seconds. Add the spice paste and continue stir-frying for 1–2 minutes, or until fragrant. Reduce the heat to medium and stir-fry until the oil begins to separate slightly.
- Add the beef and cook for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the coconut cream and fry briefly for 1–2 minutes. Add the palm sugar and fish sauce, stir well, then cover the wok.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the meat is thoroughly cooked and tender to your liking. Adjust the seasoning with salt or fish sauce, and sugar to taste.
- Add some water if you prefer a saucier, gravy-like texture, or if the dish appears too dry. Serve with hot steamed Jasmine rice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
