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Bowl of authentic Panang Curry made from scratch with fresh ingredients.

Panang Curry

A rich and vibrant Thai curry featuring prawns and chicken in a creamy coconut base with a delightful blend of spices.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Thai
Calories: 475
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 700 g whole raw prawns Juicy, ocean-fresh flavor
  • 350 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs Cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1.5 cups chicken stock/broth Low-sodium recommended
  • 2/3 cup dried Chinese chillies Add subtle heat
  • 3 tbsp roasted peanuts Add crunch and nutty flavor
  • 2 stems lemongrass Finely grated
  • 2 eschalots Roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp galangal Finely grated
  • 5 cloves garlic Minced
  • 1.5 tbsp shrimp paste in bean oil Infuses umami notes
  • 0.5 tsp ground coriander For flavor enhancement
  • 0.5 tsp ground cumin For flavor enhancement
  • 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg For flavor enhancement
  • 1 tbsp finely sliced kaffir lime leaves Adds zesty flavor
  • 3 tbsp canola oil For sautéing
  • 1.25 cups coconut cream Full-fat for creamy texture
  • 3.5 tsp white sugar Balances heat and acidity
  • 4.5 tsp fish sauce Essential salty flavor
  • 0.25 tsp cooking/kosher salt To taste
  • 200 g green beans Trimmed and chopped
  • 12 leaves Thai basil For garnish
  • 1 cup Jasmine rice To serve
  • 2 tbsp unsalted peanuts Finely chopped for garnishing
  • Red cayenne peppers Sliced (optional)
  • Thai basil leaves For extra garnish

Method
 

Simmer Prawn Stock
  1. Peel and devein the prawns, reserving the heads and shells. Bring chicken stock to a simmer and add prawn heads and shells. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes while crushing the heads gently and skimming off any scum. Strain into a jug, discarding shells.
Prepare the Dried Chillies
  1. Cut dried Chinese chillies in half and remove seeds. Soak in boiling water for 30 minutes, then drain, reserving the liquid.
Grind the Peanuts
  1. Pulse unsalted peanuts in a tall jar until finely ground.
Blend the Curry Paste
  1. Combine soaked chillies, ground peanuts, and other paste ingredients in the jar and blend until smooth, adding reserved chilli soaking liquid as needed.
Cook the Curry Paste
  1. Heat canola oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Add curry paste and cook for 5 minutes while stirring constantly until drier and aromatic.
Create the Sauce
  1. Pour in 1 cup of prawn stock, then stir in coconut cream, sugar, fish sauce, and salt. Add green beans and simmer for about 2 minutes.
Add the Prawns
  1. Add prawns to the sauce and gently stir. Simmer for another 2 minutes until prawns are fully cooked. Stir in Thai basil leaves before serving.
Serve the Dish
  1. Serve Panang Curry over Jasmine rice, garnished with chopped peanuts, slices of red cayenne peppers, and fresh Thai basil leaves.

Notes

For added flavor, consider a squeeze of fresh lime juice before serving. You can swap chicken and prawns for beef or tofu as desired.