This warm, aromatic Panang Curry combines all the best Thai flavors in a classic dish that is the perfect balance of heat and sweetness. Served over steamed rice, this is a quick and satisfying comfort meal that you’re bound to love.
Thai food is so underrated. When I tell you that I didn’t even try it for the first time until I was 15, I’m not joking. I let myself miss out on this incredible cuisine because I was so scared that everything had fish sauce in it or wasn’t vegetarian.
Boy, was I wrong. Once I had Thai food, I became obsessed. (If you’re like me, you’ll also like my Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles recipe.) This Panang Curry is proof that you can make just about anything vegetarian or extra healthy, and there’s no need to sacrifice trying new things because of your diet!
Now, I love Thai food because it’s so easy to make and the flavors are so unique compared to other cuisines. The best part is these dishes come together so quickly and you never have to worry too much about hands-on cooking. Most authentic Thai recipes allow you to simply cook things low and slow, which is where all the flavor comes from.
For example, for those nights when all you want to do is eat some hot, comforting, and spicy, this is the dish you need. This Panang Curry is rich and creamy with flavors melding together slowly from the signature curry paste and coconut milk combination.
It makes such a hearty, soupy meal! You can add whatever protein you like: chicken, beef, tofu, or just vegetables. You can’t go wrong.
It’s also a great clean-out dish! You can use pretty much any vegetable in your fridge, including:
Peppers
Onions
Mushrooms
Baby corn
Carrots
Green onions
Broccoli
Green beans
What is “panang”?
Panang curry is a type of Thai curry that is known for its rich, creamy texture and deep, complex flavors. Although the dish originated in Thailand, it is likely influenced by Indian and Malay cuisine. In fact, the dish is thought to have evolved from a traditional Indian curry that was adapted to suit the local Thai ingredients and tastes. How cool is that?
To make a Pananag curry, you create a base of red curry paste that is simmered with coconut milk. For this reason, these are the two most important ingredients in the dish. After that, an assortment of ingredients, herbs and spices, and protein or meat is added to get this beautiful curry that pairs well with rice or noodles.
Today, curry has become a staple of Thai food; you’re bound to find it at pretty much any Thai restaurant you go to!
How to Make the Best Panang Curry
With ethnic cuisines like Thai food, it’s important to get the right ingredients. There are so many amazing products available that help bring these dishes to life, but the key is to shop smart. Go to your local Asian grocery store to make sure you’re getting high-quality ingredients for this dish.
The star of the show for this Panang curry is Thai red curry paste. Authentic red curry paste is really difficult to find.
However, I have managed to find an incredibly close option that helps this dish taste like it’s straight from Thailand! The Maesri Thai Panang Curry Paste is the best red curry paste I have used to date. Even my friends who have been to Thailand say the Maesri red curry paste is exactly the same as what they used in cooking classes in Thailand!
You can find similar options at H-Mart, but I’ve also ordered it right off Amazon many times. If you find another brand, it may take some experimenting to discover how to best use it in this recipe. I have found that other options may not be as potent as the Maesri brand, so I tend to add a little extra if I use another brand.
As a heads up, you should know that most brands of red curry paste have shrimp resin in there, so definitely be sure to read the ingredients carefully if you have dietary restrictions. (Maesri does not have any shrimp residue in it).
Be sure to cook down the red curry first when making your Panang Curry. All of the oils in the paste will not only release aroma, but also tons and tons of flavor that truly seals the fate of this dish.
After the paste has been cooked down a little bit you’ll see the change, and the color will go from red to maroon. That’s when you add in your coconut milk! I like to use Chaokoh Coconut Milk, which is also relatively easier to find in Asian supermarkets. However, any good-quality coconut milk will work here.
You’re going to cook the coconut cream down a little bit to help thin out the paste and get that true curry consistency. Once everything is mixed, you can cook your vegetables in a separate pan to your liking and add them into the curry.
To serve, I usually use leftover white rice or put a pot of white rice in the back while the curry is cooking. Long story short, within 30 minutes you’ll have better and tastier Panang Curry than you could ever find at a takeout place.
If you really want to be healthy, you could opt for a brown rice pair or skip the rice and serve your curry over zoodles or spaghetti squash.
Thai food is one of those meals that we all can’t get enough of, something about the flavors, textures and spices are all so addicting! This Panang curry dish is everything I described and MORE, not to mention easy too. The key is the Thai curry paste, I know its very tough to find the right paste but I’ve linked two paste that I highly recommend and trust. Feel free to add chicken, shrimp or tofu into dish, along with other veggies I’ve listed in the recipe.
Ingredients
Scale
2tbspoil
3tbspPanang curry paste
113.5ozcoconut milk
½red bell pepper sliced
½onionsliced
1cuptofucut into bit size pieces
1–2tspsugar
salt to taste
Instructions
Over med high heat, drizzle some oil into a pan and cook the peppers,onions and tofu for 4-6 mins. You want the veggies to still be crunchy. Once the veggies and tofu are cooked, transfer onto a plate and set aside.
In a pan heat oil on med high heat and add the panang curry paste. Stir and break down the paste until you start seeing the paste and oil separate. Cook for 5 mins.
Next add the whole can of coconut milk, salt and sugar. Sitr everything together until the panang curry paste is well incorporated into the coconut milk.
Add the cooked veggies and tofu, give everything a good stir and taste to see if you need more salt or sugar. Cover pan with lid and cook for 5-7 mins. Serve with jasmine rice, noodles or even eat as it. Enjoy!
Notes
If you want to add chicken or shrimp add it towards the end, step 4.
I like to cook the veggies a little bit before adding into the curry because I the crunch, you can skip this step and add it towards the end as well.
Just an East/West coast girl living the southern life. I love sharing all my tested and perfected recipes here, along with some travel guides and a little bit of my lifestyle
