Cooking in
California
Thai · Central Thailand
Phrik Gaeng Panang — Panang Curry Paste / พริกแกงพะแนง
Panang paste is a condensed, roasted relative of red curry paste — historically documented as originating from Penang (hence the name), arriving in Thailand through Malay trade connections. Its distinguishing characteristic is the inclusion of roasted peanuts (or peanut-adjacent nuts) pounded into the paste, which gives the finished curry its characteristic thickness, nuttiness, and ability to reduce to a dry-fry consistency. The paste also uses dried red chillies and the standard Thai aromatics but is darker in colour and more concentrated than standard red curry paste. Lemongrass is more prominent; the kapi content is high; the spice level is intentionally moderate to allow the peanut and coconut to be the dominant notes.
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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.
10–12
Dried spur chillies (prik chee fa haeng)
soaked in warm water 20 minutes, drained, roughly chopped
Not yet stocked in California
4–6
Dried bird's eye chillies (prik kee noo haeng)
soaked in warm water 20 minutes, drained
Not yet stocked in California
3 stalks
Lemongrass
lower third only, finely sliced — proportion is higher than standard red paste
Origin · ThailandNot yet stocked in California
30 g
Galangal (kha)
peeled, finely sliced
Not yet stocked in California
6 cloves
Garlic (kratiem)
peeled
Your own market
4
Shallots (hom daeng)
peeled, roughly chopped
Your own market
2 roots
Coriander root (rak phak chee)
scraped, roughly chopped
Not yet stocked in California
1 tsp
Kaffir lime zest (pew makrut)
finely grated
Not yet stocked in California
2 tsp
Cumin seeds (yira)
dry-roasted until fragrant
Not yet stocked in California
1 tsp
Coriander seeds (luk phak chee)
dry-roasted until fragrant
Not yet stocked in California
5 peppercorns
White peppercorns (prik thai khao)
Your own market
2 tbsp
Shrimp paste (kapi)
high proportion; wrap in foil and roast directly over flame or in dry pan until dry and fragrant
Not yet stocked in California
60 g
Roasted peanuts
skins removed, ground to a fine powder before pounding into paste — not left chunky
Your own market
1 tsp
Salt
Your own market
II
The Method
1
Dry-roast the cumin and coriander seeds separately in an ungreased pan over medium heat, shaking continuously, until each releases its fragrance and deepens one shade in colour — doing them apart prevents the smaller coriander seeds from scorching before the cumin is ready. Remove immediately and allow to cool before grinding both to a fine powder in a mortar or spice grinder. The smell should be toasted and sharp, not acrid.
2
Pound the drained chillies with the salt in the mortar, working until a coarse paste forms with no visible skin fragments remaining — the salt acts as an abrasive that helps the pestle tear through the tough skins rather than simply compressing them. The mass should be dark red and tacky rather than wet.
3
Add the lemongrass and pound to full incorporation, then add the galangal, coriander root, and kaffir lime zest in sequence, each pounded to smoothness before the next is introduced — adding the fibrous aromatics one at a time gives each ingredient time to be broken down fully, so the finished paste does not carry strands that would resist the pestle once the mass grows larger and harder to work. The paste should be cohesive and hold together when pressed.
From the canon — The root and lower stem of the coriander plant (Coriandrum sativum) — an aromatic that Thompson identifies as the most overlooked and underutilised Thai ingr… Coriander Root (Raak Pak Chee): The Overlooked Element →
4
Add the shallots and garlic and continue pounding — their moisture will loosen the paste initially, but keep working so that liquid is driven back into the mass rather than pooling around it. Pound until the paste tightens again and no fibrous strands remain; the surface should be uniform in colour and texture.
5
Add the roasted shrimp paste and the ground spices and pound until fully absorbed — the shrimp paste needs to be worked in thoroughly so its salt and depth are distributed evenly rather than sitting in pockets that will make the final curry uneven in flavour. The paste will darken further and the smell will shift from sharp and raw to deep and fermented-spiced.
From the canon — Kapi — fermented shrimp paste — is the foundational umami ingredient of the Thai kitchen. Shrimp Paste (Kapi): Quality, Brands, and Roasting →
6
This is where the dish lives or dies. Add the ground roasted peanuts in two additions, pounding each into complete, fine incorporation before the next — introducing them gradually keeps the mass workable and prevents loose peanut from skating around the mortar unworked, which is what leaves graininess in the finished paste. Press a small amount between two fingers: it should feel solid and uniform, with no grit; any coarseness means the paste has not been worked sufficiently and will break the final curry's structure.
7
Work the finished paste briefly with the pestle to consolidate it, so any last separation between the peanut oil and the aromatic base is pressed back together into a single dense mass. It should be significantly drier and more concentrated in volume than a standard red curry paste — it will not spread or flow when a spoonful is turned out, but hold its shape. Taste for salt, then use immediately or store covered.
From the canon — The foundational red curry paste of the Thai kitchen — built on dried long red chillies soaked and pounded with lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime zest, coria… Red Curry Paste (Krung Gaeng Phet Daeng) →
III
Quality Hierarchy
01
Reserve — Dried spur chillies sun-dried from a single Thai harvest; fresh-dug galangal and coriander root from a specialist Asian market; kapi from a small-batch southern Thai or Malay producer (dark, firm, intensely fermented); lemongrass within 24 hours of cutting. Makheur khuen (Zanthoxylum limonella) sourced and added in a small quantity for historical fidelity.
02
Estate — Good-quality dried Thai chillies from a Thai or Southeast Asian grocer; galangal and lemongrass refrigerator-fresh; a reputable kapi widely available in Asian supermarkets; peanuts roasted at home from raw rather than bought pre-roasted.
03
Market — Dried chillies from a general Asian supermarket; pre-roasted, unsalted peanuts with skins removed; kapi of standard commercial grade; lemongrass from a standard produce aisle, outer leaves stripped.
04
House — A commercial Thai red curry paste extended with ground peanuts and additional lemongrass. The result will lack the concentrated, dry character of a made paste and will require shorter cooking time to avoid bitterness from the pre-made base.
IV
Sensory Tests
◇Smell. After roasting the kapi and dry-roasting the spices, the combined aromatics should smell deeply fermented, toasted, and resinous — any raw or muddy note indicates insufficient roasting.
◇Touch. The finished paste holds its shape when a spoonful is turned out and pressed between two fingers feels uniformly solid with no gritty peanut fragments.
◇Sight. The paste is a deep brick-red to dark ochre in colour, significantly darker than standard red curry paste, with a dry, consolidated surface that does not flow or spread.
◇Smell. When a small amount of paste is fried dry in oil (taek man), it should become intensely fragrant and almost completely dry within two to three minutes — a still-wet or oily smell indicates the paste is too loose and under-reduced.
◇Where it lives or dies. The roasted peanuts must be pounded to complete, seamless incorporation — any graininess in the finished paste will prevent the curry from achieving its characteristic dense, dry-fry consistency and will fracture the coconut milk reduction.
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