THAI BEEF PANANG WITH COCONUT, CHILLI & PEANUTS
This dish is a revelation: beef cooked in coconut with lemongrass and chilli with a depth of flavour from shrimp paste and lime. If you’re in a hurry, use a packet of Thai red curry paste then add extra ingredients to it; if you have the time, the more authentic version is given in the note at the end.
SERVES 4
PREP 15 MINUTES COOK 30 MINUTES
400g quick-cook stir-fry beef strips 100g Thai red curry paste 2 cardamom pods, seeds only 2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp salted peanuts, finely chopped
1 tbsp soft brown sugar 400ml tin coconut milk
2 red peppers, thickly sliced 180g shiitake mushrooms
TO SERVE handful of fresh coriander sliced red chillies handful of salted peanuts, chopped noodles or rice
★ Preheat the oven to 180C/
160C fan/gas 4 then tip the beef strips into a medium roasting tin or casserole dish (fairly shallow is good, as it allows the beef to brown).
★ Mix the Thai red curry paste or your homemade paste (see Note) with the cardamom, coriander, cumin, salted peanuts and brown sugar. Rub this all over the beef then transfer to the oven and cook for 10 minutes.
★ Next, stir through the coconut milk, red peppers and mushrooms then mix everything so the beef sits on top of the vegetables. Return to the oven for 20 minutes.
★ Scatter over the coriander leaves, chillies and peanuts then serve with noodles or rice.
NOTE If you would like to make the panang paste from scratch rather than using a bought
Thai red curry paste, blitz together 2 shallots, 5cm of galangal, 2 cloves of garlic (peeled), 1 red chilli, 4 kaffir lime leaves, 1 teaspoon of shrimp paste and 2 sticks of lemongrass. Add the dry spices to this as before.
★ Preheat the oven to 200C/
180C fan/gas 6.
★ Tip the baby carrots, halloumi and red onion into a roasting tin large enough to hold everything in one layer, then mix through the lemon thyme, cumin and olive oil. Transfer to the oven and roast for 30-35 minutes, until the halloumi is golden brown and the carrots are just cooked through.
★ While the halloumi and carrots are in the oven, mix the beans, walnuts, extra virgin olive oil, honey, lemon zest and juice and salt and set aside.
★ Stir the beans and rocket through the roasted carrots and halloumi then serve with yogurt and flatbreads alongside.
NOTE This is at its best eaten immediately, while the halloumi is still hot, but if you have leftovers it’s not at all bad in a lunchbox the next day.