Monday, February 25, 2019

Panang Curry, ala Eolian

Panang Curry has forever been the benchmark by which I have judged Thai restaurants.  And I have been struggling for years to come up with my own perfect Panang Curry recipe.  Until now, I have come close, but have missed the mark in one gustatorial dimension or another.

Not any more.

Magic

I have found the magic.

Now mind you, this doesn't get you all the way there, but it is close.  Still needed are a little more peanut flavor, some sweetness, and (perhaps the most magic ingredient of all) some ginger.

Here's my recipe (makes 4 very generous servings).  If there are only two of you, make the full recipe, but only half the rice.  Use the rest on a second batch of rice another day.

Ingredients - serves 4
  • 2 cups Basmati/Jasmine rice
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 tsp salt

  •  2 Tbsp Olive oil
  • 1/2 large onion, diced into 1/4" pieces
  • 3 large cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 green Bell pepper, diced into 1/4"pieces
  • 1/2 cup of carrots sliced into 1/4" pieces
  • 1 large stem broccoli, sliced thinly, including the entire stem.
  • 1 8 oz can pineapple chunks in water, drained
  • 1 to 1-1/2 cups cooked chicken (left overs work best!), cut into chopstick-sized pieces
  • 1 12 oz can of coconut milk.  Do not use "light".
  • Mae Ploy Panang Curry Paste
  • 1 Tbsp peanut butter
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar 
  • 4 Tbsp Thai basel, chopped with scissors
  • 1 cubic inch of fresh ginger, sliced thinly and diced
  • Zest and juice of one lime

The Rice
  1. Start the rice - this always takes the longest and can tolerate waiting the best...  Bring 4 cups of water to a boil.  Add 2 tsp salt.
  2. Once boiling, add the rice.  Stir immediately to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan and cover.  When the water again comes to a boil stir again, lower the heat to low, crack the lid and start on the curry.
 The Curry
  1. Stir fry the onions and carrots in a couple of Tbsp of olive oil in a 2-qt saucepan until just beginning to get tender.  
  2. Add the pepper and continue to stir fry.
  3. Add the garlic and continue to stir fry.
  4. When the garlic just begins to stick to the pan and/or the pepper is just getting tender, add the broccoli.  Note that Asian cooks don't discard the stems of the broccoli - just cut off the dried out end and slice the rest thin.
  5. Stir fry the broccoli until the color changes to bright green.
  6. Add the coconut milk, sugar, pineapple, and peanut butter.
  7. The Mae Ploy paste comes in a plastic bag inside the container.  Cut off a corner of the bag to make an opening about 3/4" diameter.  Extrude a log of curry paste about 3" long and 3/4" diameter into the pan (more if you are a 4-5 star kind of person, a little less if 2 stars is more to your liking).
  8. Mix well.  Add the chicken. 
  9. Once everything has come to a simmer, turn off the heat and add the aromatics (ginger, basil, lime zest and juice).  Stir.  You should have enough curry to nearly fill a 2--quart saucepot - 4 generous servings.
  10. Reserve enough basil to garnish the servings

Meanwhile, you have been checking the rice all along, right?  When there is no more water visible and there are a bunch of holes in the surface, turn off the heat.  Wait another 5-10 minutes, until the last of the water has been absorbed and you have "sticky rice".

Divide the rice onto 4 plates, divide the curry onto the rice, and garnish generously with the chopped Thai basil.

Present with chopsticks (naturally!)






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7 comments:

Jason said...

So boating is not the only passion we share apparently....

Robert Salnick said...

So many passions, so little time...

Kevin McNeill said...

Bob,
About twenty years ago we had a Thai student living with us, one night we went out for dinner to a local Thai restaurant. She ordered the food it was great. However as we sat there in walked a couple who ordered take out, as they picked up their order the fellow asked if they had chopsticks, his female companion looked at him and said "Chopsticks, this is Thai food, it's spoon and fork you dork" Our Thain student nearly fell off her chair laughing. I know this is not Thai food but your comment " Chopsticks, of course", brought it all back.

Kevin

Robert Salnick said...

Hi Kevin -
Yes, I had heard that the King of Siam ordered his populace to convert to Western eating utensils. But I still eat all Asian food with chopsticks. If nothing else, it keeps me in practice. (Leaving as an exercise to the reader whether renewable bamboo chopsticks are superior to metal utensils that need to be washed in soap and fresh water...)

Kevin McNeill said...

I learned to use chopsticks at age 16 and use them often although of late as I age and I have the usual hand dexterity that age brings I find myself following the Thai tradition.

PS Took your advice and have started another blog after the last debacle https://tofas.home.blog/

Rick said...

Renaissance Man Bob: Sailor, marine tech, gear head, musician, chef!

Robert Salnick said...

Awww thanks Rick!

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