Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H. Panang Curry is a rich and creamy red curry dish from Thailand made with coconut milk and lots of veggies. It’s a very versatile dish, as it is with a lot of Thai food, perfect for the addition of many different types of proteins, from chicken and pork to fish, shrimp, scallops, tofu, and more. You may have enjoyed this recipe as your favorite Thai restaurant, though it is satisfying and quite easy to make at home, once you gather up the ingredients. You’ll have it on the table ready to serve in under 30 minutes, which is great for a slow cook like me. Panang curry isn’t traditionally an overly spicy curry dish, though spicy food lovers can easily up the heat with the addition of spicier chili peppers. Most recipes call for red bell peppers, though I often include either spicy Thai chilies, or bird’s eye chilies to satisfy that zesty craving. You can use other hot peppers available to you. It’s also a customizable dish as is much of Thai cooking, so feel free to toss in other veggies, other proteins, and vary up the ratios of ingredients. Let’s talk about how to make Panang curry, shall we? Add the chicken and brown it a few minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, basil leaves, bamboo shoots, fish sauce, tamarind concentrate and sugar, then simmer the dish about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, garnish and serve. Boom! Done! Your Panang curry is ready to serve! We always enjoy this curry, and love that it’s so quick and easy to make. So fast to whip together during the busy weeknights! I love mine with a good helping of Jasmine rice. So good.
Best Proteins for Thai Curry
I’m using chicken for this recipe, though feel free to sub in tofu or pork. Seafood is great here, like shrimp, though it is best tucked into the pan the last few minutes before serving. Serve it just cooked through. I like to sear the shrimp first, then tuck it in at the end to warm in the creamy curry sauce. You can also make a vegetarian version by skipping the meats and adding extra vegetables and/or tofu. Skip the fish sauce and use soy sauce instead.
Other Ingredients
Other ingredients I have seen in Panang Curry recipes include soy sauce and peanut butter, which you can swirl into the coconut milk before simmering.
Hot Thai Kitchen Cookbook, by Pailin Chongchitnant (affiliate link, my friends!) - “Demystifying Thai Cuisine with Authentic Recipes to Make at Home”. It is filled with great recipes and I have learned quite a bit about Thai ingredients and the structure of building Thai curries. 101 Thai Dishes You Need to Cook Before You Die: The Essential Recipes, Techniques and Ingredients of Thailand, by Jet Tila and Tad Weyland Fukomoto (affiliate link, my friends!)
Or, sprinkle in cayenne pepper or a hotter chili powder when you cook down the chicken. You can also freeze it for 3 months or longer in freezer containers. That’s it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my Panang curry recipe. Let me know if you make it. I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy!
