This particular curry is richer and creamier than most other Thai curries so if you find some Thai food to be too spicy, try a panang curry which is still savoury and tasty but without the kick found in other Thai dishes. The name of the curry may be written in different ways with ‘phanaeng’ an alternative spelling sometimes used. As with many other Thai dishes, restaurants and chefs will have their own preferred way of making panang curry. Commonly it is beef or chicken which is used as the main ingredient, but alternatives can include pork, fish or shrimp. This is also a dish that works well for vegetarians with tofu normally used as a substitute for the meat.
The chicken panang curry (kaeng phanaeng kai) in the photo above was served at the wonderfully named Elliebum cafe in Chiang Mai. With rice, the price was 60 Baht and it was aroy mak (delicious)! If you want to make your own panang curry, take a look at the recipe provided here by Temple of Thai. Depending on where you live, not all ingredients may be available so you may have to adapt the recipe slightly. If you don’t have an Asian store near you, look online for specialist suppliers many of whom can provide authentic Thai curry pastes. Temple of Thai also include a recipe to make your own authentic panang curry paste.
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