Panang Chicken Curry with Makrut Lime Leaves and Peanuts
Inspired by techniques from NYT Cooking and America's Test Kitchen.
A store-bought paste is boosted with toasted coriander, cumin and ground peanuts, fried in cracked coconut cream and simmered with sliced chicken thighs and red pepper until thick and glossy.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Boost the paste. Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in the dry pan over medium heat for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Grind them finely, add the 30 g peanuts and grind to a coarse paste, then mix with the curry paste in the small bowl. Fresh-toasted spices and peanuts give a shop paste a much rounder flavour.
- 2
Season the chicken. Toss the chicken with the fish sauce in the medium bowl. Thin slices take on the seasoning quickly and cook in minutes.
- 3
Crack the cream. Spoon 4 tbsp of the thick cream from the top of the coconut milk into the large pan with the oil and cook over medium-high heat for 1 minute, until bubbling. Add the paste and fry for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until brick red and the oil separates, adding a splash of coconut milk if it sticks. Frying the paste in fat is what develops the curry's depth.
- 4
Build the sauce. Add the torn lime leaves and sugar and stir for 1 minute. Set aside 2 tbsp coconut milk for serving, pour in the rest, bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until slightly thickened.
- 5
Simmer the chicken. Add the chicken and red pepper and simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring, until the chicken is cooked through (74 °C) and the sauce is thick enough to coat it. Panang should cling rather than pool.
- 6
Finish and serve. Drizzle with the reserved coconut milk and scatter with the sliced lime leaves, chopped peanuts and basil. Serve with jasmine rice.
Storage
Cool quickly, refrigerate within 1 hour and use within 3 days. Reheat once until piping hot (74 °C). Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- small dry frying pan
- spice grinder or mortar and pestle
- small bowl
- medium bowl
- 30 cm frying pan or wok
- silicone spatula
- instant-read probe thermometer
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 490 kcal |
| Protein | 30.6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 12 g |
| of which sugars | 5.3 g |
| of which free sugars | 2.5 g |
| Fat | 37.1 g |
| of which saturates | 21.6 g |
| Fibre | 2.5 g |
| Salt | 1.68 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
6.2 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
