I urge you to find a curry that will place your olefactory & taste senses in the realm of heaven.
And if we were to exchange notes and you've had a bite of this traditional, authentic Panang Curry, I guarantee it would be on the top of your list too.
Panang curry hails from the city of Penang in Northwestern Malaysia on the Straits of Melacca.
No, it is not in Korea.
This may sound funny to you but I recall my astonishment as I heard the teenager who asked me that very question as she helped me find shrimp paste for Malaysian curries in the grocery aisle. The mother in me also nudged her to revise her world geography when she got home.
Fortunately, she wasn't snotty about it and took my admonishment in good humor. The geographical location of the city of Penang has everything to do with what makes this curry by far the very best thing you'll ever put into your mouth.
It has to do with the fact that Penang is quite close to the border of Thailand and it fuses ingredients characteristic to Malaysian cuisine like cumin, coriander, shrimp paste (or shrimp belacan) and raw red skin peanuts with those fresh ingredients classic in Thai cuisine - lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal & garlic. And then of course comes the coconut milk that just makes it better.
The marriage is one made in culinary heaven. The lime leaves are nothing short of magic and falls in the do-not-omit category in this recipe.
This curry is traditionally made with beef but for those of you who don't eat beef, use lamb instead but either way, get off your hineys and make this because trust me when I say, you'll love this first and thank me later.
Gather the ingredients,Place the steak or lamb in the freezer while preparing the vegetables & the curry paste.
2 lbs boneless beef chuck roast or boneless lamb, 5 tbs vegetable oil, 4-5 kaffir lime leaves, 1 qty 15 oz can coconut milk
Curry Paste: 2 tbs vegetable oil, 6 tbs water (add 1-2 tbs more as needed), 1 stalk lemongrass (or 1 tbs chopped lemongrass - I buy frozen chopped lemongrass from the Asian market), 2" fresh galangal, peeled and roughly chopped, 2 shallots, 4 garlic cloves, crushed, 2 tsp cumin seeds, 2 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp red chilly powder (less if you don’t like it spicy), 1 tsp salt, 2 tbs shrimp paste (or shrimp belacan), 1/3 cup cilantro leaves & 1/3 cup red skin peanuts
Sauce: 1-1/2 tbs sugar (or palm sugar), 1 tbs fish sauce, 1 tsp salt
For garnish: Thinly sliced Kaffir lime leaves & to serve: Steamed Jasmine rice
Prepare the ingredients:
Curry paste: Blend all the ingredients into a smooth paste in a food processor.
Sauce: Combine the sugar (or palm sugar), fish sauce & 1 tsp salt in a bowl. Stir to combine and set aside till ready to use.
Steak or lamb: With a very sharp knife, slice into 1/4" thick strips against the grain to shorten the muscle fibers resulting in tender meat when cooked. If using lamb, the strips whould be 1/4" thick and about 3 inches long.
On medium-high heat, heat oil in a wok or heavy bottom pan. Add the kaffir lime leaves & stir-fry for 10 seconds.
Add the curry paste and on medium heat and continue stir-frying for about 5-7 minutes until the oil slightly separates in puddles & the curry paste is fragrant.
Add the beef in and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes till the oil separates form the curry paste once again.
Add the coconut milk, sauce & ¼ cup water. Stir well & bring to a simmer. Cover with a tight fitting lid.
Turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 1 hour to 1 hr – 20 mins or until the meat is thoroughly cooked. Stir regularly to prevent sticking at the bottom of the pan
Good to know: Add 1/4 cup water at a time if when it appears bit dry, is sticking to the bottom of the pan or you prefer it soupier
Taste and adjust seasonings – salt, fish sauce & sugar.
Good to know: The curry should be rich and thick – not like the soupier Thai curries.
Sprinkle with more finely sliced kaffir leaves if desired and serve with steamed Jasmine rice.
In one word - delicious!
And that word does it very little justice. The scent of lime leaves is heady and the flavors are rich and intense in this thick curry that nestles pieces of succulent meat. So very good with fragrant Jasmine rice & a side of Pineapple & Cucumber Salad
Recipe for
Malaysian Panang Curry
Preparation time - 20 minutes
Cooking time – approx. 1 hr -20 mins
Serves 4
Shopping list
2 lbs boneless beef chuck roast or boneless lamb
5 tbs vegetable oil
4-5 kaffir lime leaves
1 qty 15 oz can coconut milk
Curry Paste:
2 tbs vegetable oil
6 tbs water (add 1-2 tbs more as needed)
1 stalk lemongrass (or 1 tbs chopped lemongrass)
2" fresh galangal, peeled and roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 shallots
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp red chilly powder (less if you don’t like it spicy)
1 tsp salt
2 tbs shrimp paste (or shrimp belacan)
1/3 cup cilantro leaves
1/3 cup red skin peanuts
Sauce:
1-1/2 tbs sugar (or palm sugar)
1 tbs fish sauce
1 tsp salt
For garnish: Thinly sliced Kaffir lime leaves if desired.
To serve: Steamed Jasmine rice
Preparation:
Place the steak in the freezer while preparing the vegetables.
Curry paste: Blend all the ingredients into a smooth paste in a food processor.
Steak: With a very sharp knife, slice into 1/4" thick strips against the grain to shorten the muscle fibers resulting in tender meat when cooked.
Method:
On medium-high heat, heat oil in a wok or heavy bottom pan. Add the kaffir lime leaves & stir-fry for 10 seconds.
Add the curry paste and on medium heat and continue stir-frying for about 5-7 minutes until the oil slightly separates in puddles & the curry paste is fragrant.
Add the beef in and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes till the oil separates form the curry paste once again.
Add the coconut milk, sauce & ¼ cup water. Stir well & bring to a simmer. Cover with a tight fitting lid.
Turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 1 hour to 1 hr – 20 mins or until the meat is thoroughly cooked. Stir regularly to prevent sticking at the bottom of the pan
Cook’s Note: Add 1/4 cup water at a time if when it appears bit dry, is sticking to the bottom of the pan or you prefer it soupier
Taste and adjust seasonings – salt, fish sauce & sugar.
The curry should be rich and thick – not like the soupier Thai curries.
Sprinkle with more finely sliced kaffir leaves if desired and serve with steamed Jasmine rice.
