Cooking in
California
Thai · Central Thailand
Panang Curry
Panang curry is a thick, dry, rich curry — less coconut milk than green curry, roasted peanuts pounded into the paste, and a more intensely concentrated coconut cream reduced around the protein. The flavour is sweet, slightly creamy, and aromatic without the fiery heat of green curry. Traditionally made with beef, the sauce should coat the meat like a thick glaze rather than pool around it.
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Cook
I
The Market List
The benchmark for each ingredient, and who stocks it near you. Tap a stockist to go straight to the product.
40g
Panang curry paste (Thai
quality brand)
Not yet stocked in California
400ml
coconut milk
full fat
Origin · Sri Lankan coconut (Coconut Research Institute of Sri Lanka), Sri LankaNot yet stocked in California
300g
chicken breast
cut into 2cm cubes
Your own market
100g
roasted peanuts
unsalted
Your own market
25g
tamarind paste
Not yet stocked in California
15ml
fish sauce (nam pla)
Your own market
10g
palm sugar
Origin · IndonesiaNot yet stocked in California
3
kaffir lime leaves
Not yet stocked in California
1
long red chilli
sliced
Not yet stocked in California
30g
Thai basil leaves
Not yet stocked in California
II
The Method
1
Bring coconut milk to a gentle simmer in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.
From the canon — Fresh coconut milk — extracted from freshly grated coconut flesh rather than purchased in a can — and the technique of 'cracking' it: heating the thick, fat-… Coconut Milk: Cracking, Frying, Reducing →
2
Stir in Panang curry paste, working it through the coconut milk until fully dissolved; cook 2 minutes.
3
Add chicken cubes and poach at gentle simmer for 8–10 minutes until cooked through.
4
Fold in roasted peanuts, tamarind paste, fish sauce, and palm sugar; stir to combine.
From the canon — Fish sauce — nam pla — is the universal salt of the Thai kitchen. Fish Sauce (Nam Pla): Selection and Use →
5
Tear kaffir lime leaves directly into the curry and simmer 3 minutes.
6
Taste and adjust seasoning with fish sauce or palm sugar as needed.
7
Finish with fresh Thai basil and sliced red chilli; serve immediately over jasmine rice.
From the canon — Thai jasmine rice — khao hom mali (fragrant jasmine rice) — cooked by the absorption method: precisely measured rice washed to remove surface starch, combine… Jasmine Rice (Khao Hom Mali): The Absorption Method →
III
Sensory Tests
◇Where it lives or dies. The moment where Panang lives or dies is the reduction at the end — after the beef is cooked, continue reducing the curry over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the coconut oil begins to rise to the surface of the sauce. This is the signal that the water has cooked off and the curry has reached its correct thick, concentrated state. The surface of the curry should glisten with coconut oil.
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V
What to Pour
The pairing
Beer
From California
Non-alcoholic
Without alcohol
Non-alcoholic
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The whole pairingPillar VI
Origin and lineage are part of membership.
Where the dish comes from and how it came to be — on every recipe.
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The working kitchen