Panang curry (แกงพะแนง, kāeng phā-nǣng) is the Thai curry most likely to convert someone who normally finds Thai curries too thin or too spicy. It is:
- Thicker than red or green curry — the sauce is reduced until it barely flows
- Richer — more coconut cream, less water or stock, so the fat content is higher
- Less spicy than red or green curry — the paste has fewer dried chilies by volume
- More aromatic — the paste includes roasted peanuts, coriander, and cumin in proportions not found in standard red curry paste
The name may derive from Penang (the Malaysian island), suggesting the curry traveled from or was influenced by the Malay peninsula. Alternatively, it may derive from the Thai word phā-nǣng meaning "cross-legged" — a reference to the way the paste was traditionally ground (sitting cross-legged). Neither origin is definitively established.
How Panang Differs from Other Thai Curries
| Curry | Liquid Amount | Heat Level | Distinct Feature | |---|---|---|---| | Green curry | High — soup-like broth | Very spicy | Fresh green chilies, eggplant | | Red curry | Medium | Medium-spicy | All-purpose, many proteins and vegetables | | Panang | Low — thick, almost dry | Mild-medium | Peanuts in paste, kaffir lime ribbons, very thick | | Massaman | Medium-high | Mild | Potatoes, peanuts, Silk Road spices (cardamom/cinnamon) | | Yellow curry | Medium | Mild | Turmeric-yellow color, potatoes, Indian influence |
The Panang Paste
The panang paste is a red curry paste with additional dried spice elements:
Ingredients:
- 5–8 dried red chilies, soaked and drained
- 3 shallots
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2cm piece galangal
- 2 stalks lemongrass, lower pale section
- 2 teaspoons coriander root or lower stems
- 1 teaspoon shrimp paste (kapi)
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
- 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts (ground into the paste — the peanuts thicken and enrich the paste)
Pound or blend all ingredients together until smooth.
Note: Store-bought Maesri or Mae Ploy panang curry paste is a good substitute. It is labeled as panaeng or penang. However, the peanut element is often reduced in commercial versions — add 1 tablespoon of peanut butter or 2 tablespoons of ground roasted peanuts when frying the paste.
The Complete Recipe
Serves: 2–3 Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 400–500g beef sirloin or chicken thigh, sliced thin (3–4mm)
- 4 tablespoons panang paste (homemade or store-bought)
- 400ml full-fat coconut milk (separate the thick cream from the top)
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar or brown sugar
- 3–4 kaffir lime leaves, central rib removed, cut into very thin chiffonade ribbons
- 1 fresh red chili, julienned (garnish)
- Jasmine rice for serving
Method
1. Bloom the paste in coconut cream: In a wok or saucepan, add the thick cream from the top of the coconut milk can. Heat over medium until the fat separates (tae man, แตกมัน — the cream separates and oil becomes visible around the edges, approximately 3–5 minutes). Add the panang paste; fry in the coconut fat for 3–4 minutes until fragrant and slightly darkened.
2. Add protein: Add the sliced beef or chicken; stir to coat with the paste. Cook for 2–3 minutes.
3. Add remaining coconut milk: Pour in the remaining coconut milk (the thinner liquid from the bottom of the can). Add fish sauce and palm sugar. Stir to combine.
4. Reduce to thick sauce: This is the critical step that distinguishes panang from other curries. Simmer over medium heat, uncovered, until the sauce reduces by roughly half — it should be very thick, just barely flowing, and coating the meat. This takes 10–15 minutes. The sauce should not be brothy; if you tip the pan, it should flow slowly.
5. Taste and adjust: Panang should be savory (fish sauce), slightly sweet (palm sugar), and richly flavored from the paste. Add more fish sauce for salt, more palm sugar for sweetness.
6. Plate and garnish: Serve in a wide, shallow bowl or on a plate — not a deep bowl like a soup. The meat is arranged in the thick sauce, which is thin enough to pool but thick enough not to be soup. Scatter the kaffir lime leaf chiffonade generously on top. Add julienned red chili.
Kaffir Lime Leaf Chiffonade
The kaffir lime leaf garnish on panang curry is not a throwaway decoration. The chiffonade cut (remove the central rib from each leaf; stack 3–4 leaves; roll tightly; cut crosswise into very thin ribbons) releases the aromatic oils from the leaf when eaten. A fine chiffonade of kaffir lime leaf contributes a floral-citrus brightness that contrasts directly with the richness of the coconut sauce.
Stack the leaves, roll them like a cigar, slice across into ribbons as thin as you can make them. The thinner the ribbon, the less tough the texture and the more concentrated the aroma release.
Serving
Panang curry is served with rice only — not noodles. The thick sauce is designed to coat and mix with jasmine rice. Eaten immediately.
Unlike massaman (which includes potatoes and peanuts in the curry itself), panang is a plain protein-in-sauce curry without additional elements. The garnishes (kaffir lime leaf, red chili, sometimes a coconut cream drizzle on top) are the only additions.
Related reading: Massaman Curry Guide | Thai Green Curry Guide | Tom Yum and Tom Kha Thai Soup Guide
The full recipes live in the book.
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