Plaid Creature

The Art of Cooking Thai Food: Panang Curry

Time for something a little different…

Last month, my dad visited me from Thailand for a couple weeks, and I had the pleasure of eating the most amazing Thai food while he was here. I had nearly forgotten how awesome of a cook he is since I haven’t had his cooking in years. Doctors Hyperbolus and Echo Bloom came over for my birthday and had the privelege of trying some too, so they can vouch for the tastiness. It’s better than any Thai restaurant around (and I’m not just saying that because he’s my dad). Anyway, he showed me how to cook a handful of Thai dishes before he left which I’ve been working on perfecting. And now, I’m gonna share one of my favorites: Panang Curry. Making this dish isn’t complicated at all and you’ll be surprised at what will come out of your kitchen (besides the gas).

The Ingredients:

• Panang Curry Paste (4 Tbsp or 2 oz)
• Coconut Milk (half can – about 6oz)
• Fish Sauce (2 Tbsp)
• Sugar (about 2 tsp)
• Pepper
• Veggies
• Thai Chilies
• Garlic
• Chicken (optional)

You can find Panang Curry paste at most Asian markets and possibly even at your favorite local grocery store. I get mine at a Thai market in Thai Town. Also, my dad told me that Maesri is the best brand and what I have here comes in a 4oz can. For this recipe, we’ll use half the can. You can also pick up coconut milk anywhere but I’ve found it to be much cheaper at the Asian markets. Look for it to be less than a dollar. Anyway, let’s get started…

Start off by cranking your burner up to 11… err high. Thai food is cooked very fast and on high. As my dad says, “It’s stir fry, not stir boil.” Just pour some vegetable oil into your wok or saute pan and when it’s hot, toss in some chicken and garlic.

Meanwhile, finish dicing all of your veggies. I used onions, green/red bell peppers, and zucchini. Make your cuts pretty large so the veggies won’t cook too fast because you want them crispy. You can leave your Thai chilies whole and just beat them with the back of the knife (I finely sliced one of them for extra spice).

Once the chicken is almost done, toss in the vegetables that will take longer to cook. For me, that’s everything except the zucchini.

Let that cook for a little bit… shouldn’t take but a few minutes. Remember, you want your vegetables to remain crispy but cooked. Once everything is almost done, add in your Panang Curry paste, coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, pepper, and a tad bit of water. Also, throw in your remaining fast-cooking veggies.

Let that finish up for a couple minutes and give it a taste test. You want to find a happy equilibrium between spicy, sweet, sour, and salty flavors. Once you’re happy with it, throw it over some rice. And don’t forget to use the best Thai rice: jasmine rice.

Anyway, I’ve got a few more recipes I’ve been practicing which include Tom Ka Kai soup, Thai Basil Chicken, Cashew Chicken, and Pad Thai. Just lemme know in the comments if you’d like me to continue adding recipes in the future. And let me know how your curry turns out, too!

(Also for all you vegans out there, I don’t know what to do to substitute fish sauce. I guess you could try soy sauce, but you may end up with a little different flavor. Or maybe just use salt.)