Is panang Thai curry hot?

The spice level in panang curry doesn't come from the curry paste. While there are chilis in panang curry paste, they don't add intense levels of heat. Any spiciness comes from the ingredients added to dish, like fresh chilis or sriracha. For this recipe, a fresh Serrano chili is used but one that has been seeded and the white membrane removed, letting for a mild spice level come through. You can always omit it completely if you want no spice, or keep the seeds and membrane if you want it hot.

Why is it called panang curry?

There are multiple ways to spell this type of curry (phanaeng, penang) but the origin of the name is from where the dish was created, the island of Penang, located off the west coast of Malaysia.

Thai Panang Curry Recipe [VIDEO] - My Kitchen Escapades

Name: Panang Curry Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon canola oil; 2 tablespoon panang curry paste; 2 – 14 oz cans coconut milk; 2 pounds chicken, cut against the grain into small pieces; 1 onion, sliced thin; 3 bell peppers (green, yellow, red) sliced thin; 1 serrano pepper, seeds and white membrane removed, minced; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 2 tablespoons peanut butter; 1 tablespoon fish sauce; Juice of 1 lime; 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves, chopped; 1/2 cup peanuts, chopped; Cooked jasmine rice

Ingredients

Scale

1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoon panang curry paste
2 – 14 oz cans coconut milk
2 pounds chicken, cut against the grain into small pieces
1 onion, sliced thin
3 bell peppers (green, yellow, red) sliced thin
1 serrano pepper, seeds and white membrane removed, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Juice of 1 lime
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
Cooked jasmine rice

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Instructions

In a large deep skillet, heat the oil over high heat and add the Panang curry paste. Stir and cook for 1 minute to bloom the seasonings. Add about a 1/4 cup of the coconut milk (just eyeball it) to deglaze the pan and stir to combine. Let cook for another minute.
Add the chicken. Stir to combine.
Add the onions, bell peppers, serrano chili, and garlic. Stir to combine.
Add remaining coconut milk, brown sugar, peanut butter, and fish sauce. Stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a simmer and reduce the heat.
Let gently simmer for 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Do not cook too long or the chicken will become tough and the veggies will overcook.
Add fresh lime juice and basil. Stir to combine.
Serve immediately over hot jasmine rice topped with chopped salted peanuts.

Notes

You can certainly use regular white or brown rice but jasmine rice has the authentic Thai flavor.

Author: Carole Jones
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: Stove
Cuisine: Thai

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/8th
Calories: 489 kcal
Sugar: 8 g
Sodium: 388 mg
Fat: 20 g
Saturated Fat: 13 g
Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 21 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 36 g
Cholesterol: 95 mg