Panaeng Curry: Recipe for a mild curry from Central Thailand
Dec 29, 2024
Panaeng curry, or phanaeng (พะแนง), is a classic Thai dish known for its rich and creamy texture. Popular throughout Thailand, this curry is characterized by the slow and gradual cooking of coconut milk and a special panaeng curry paste , which gives the curry a creamy texture.
Essentially, it's a cross between Thai red curry and Massaman curry. It's much milder than the red curry and aromatic and somewhat sweet, like Massaman curry. Panaeng curry can be prepared with various meats such as chicken, beef, or pork, but also in a tofu version.
The dish is prepared with our fresh Panaeng curry paste , which we produce here in Bavaria according to an authentic Thai recipe.
The dish's distinctive flavor comes from the combination of kaffir lime leaves, mini eggplants, peanuts, and panaeng curry paste—just try it.
Ingredients for 2–3 servings of Panaeng Curry
Phanaeng is quite easy to prepare, although it takes a little longer than other Thai curries. You'll need a maximum of 40 minutes to create a delicious and authentically Thai dish.
Just follow our cooking instructions.
| Beef (chicken, pork, tofu) | 250g |
| Kaffir lime leaves | 3 - 4 (cut into strips) |
| Red Thai chilies (not hot) | 1 - 2 (for decoration) |
| Phanaeng curry paste | 2 - 3 teaspoons (or more if you like) |
| coconut milk | 400 ml |
| Water | 200 ml |
| fish sauce | 1 tbsp |
| Coconut sugar | 1 tbsp |
| Mini eggplants (if available) | 100 g |
| Roasted peanuts | 30 g |
Preparation of Panaeng Curry:
1. Cut the meat into thin strips and cook slowly over low heat in a mixture of 200 ml coconut milk and 200 ml water. Cook the meat until tender, then remove from the heat. You can use a small amount of the stock later to add more liquid to the curry if needed.
2. Finely slice the chilies and kaffir lime leaves. Both will be used to garnish the dish. Additionally, lightly crush the peanuts in a mortar and pestle, or use a meat mallet to finely chop them.
3. Pour 200 ml of coconut milk into a wok or frying pan and cook over medium heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring constantly. The milk should gradually become creamy and release the coconut oil. Here's our video on how to split coconut milk.
4. Now add the curry paste and cook with the coconut milk for about one minute.
5. Then season the curry with fish sauce and coconut sugar; alternatively, you can also use brown sugar.
6. Finally, add the previously cooked meat, peanuts, mini eggplants and 1⁄4 of the kaffir lime leaves to the dish, which is then simmered together on low heat for about 5 minutes.
7. Serve the finished Phanaeng curry on a platter and garnish with the remaining kaffir lime leaves and chili.
Fun Facts about Panaeng Curry
Historical mention : The earliest known mention of Panaeng curry dates back to 1890 and is found in a Thai cookbook called “Tamra Kap Khao”.
Unique ingredient : Panaeng curry differs from other Thai curries due to the addition of peanuts, which gives it a nutty flavor and creamy texture.
Flavor Profile : This curry is known for its balanced salty, sweet, and spicy flavors, which come from ingredients like kaffir lime leaves, coconut milk, coconut sugar, and mini eggplants.
Origin Debate : While some believe that Panaeng Curry originated in Penang, Malaysia, others argue that it originated in Central Thailand - it will forever remain a mystery.
