Central Thailand. The name Panang may derive from Penang (Malaysia) — the curry reflects the Malay-influenced central Thai cooking tradition. Panang is one of the central Thai royal curries, distinguished by its use of roasted peanuts and its thick, dry style.
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.
A slightly off-dry Pinot Gris from Alsace — the residual sweetness matches Panang's sweet coconut profile and the body of the wine supports the thick, creamy curry. Or a cold Singha, which cuts through the coconut fat with carbonation.
{"Panang paste: dried long red chillies, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime zest, coriander root, cumin, coriander seed, shrimp paste — plus roasted peanuts pounded in at the end. The peanuts add body and a nutty sweetness","Minimal coconut milk: start with 400ml coconut cream, fry until oil separates, add the paste. Once the paste is bloomed, add only 200ml more coconut milk — this curry should be thick, not fluid","Beef: flank steak or skirt steak, sliced thin (3mm) across the grain — or slow-braised short rib for a richer version","Reduce on the beef: add the beef to the curry and reduce on medium heat until the curry coats the meat and the coconut oil begins to separate to the surface again — this concentration is characteristic of Panang","Kaffir lime leaf chiffonade: finely sliced into hair-thin ribbons and stirred in at the end, plus whole leaves as garnish","Balance: palm sugar (generous — Panang is sweet), fish sauce, and a squeeze of lime to finish"}
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.
{"Too much coconut milk: Panang should be thick and coating, not fluid","Not reducing the curry far enough: the thick, glazed texture is the defining characteristic","Under-seasoning with palm sugar: Panang is intentionally sweet"}