PANANG BEEF CURRY (KAENG PANANG NEU)

A rich, nutty Thai panang curry goes so well with beef. While many Thai curries are quite brothy, panang is more of a modest sauce that is rich, sweet, salty and nutty with a hint of spice from the cumin, coriander and nutmeg.

SERVES 2 COOKING TIME 30 MINUTES

★ ½ x 400g can of coconut milk

★ 1-2 tbsp panang curry paste (see easy swaps, right)

★ 1 rump steak, finely sliced

★ handful of green beans, halved

★ 1-2 tbsp brown sugar or palm sugar

★ 2-3 tbsp fish sauce

★ 1-2 makrut lime leaves, central woody stem removed, finely shredded (see easy swaps)

★ handful of Thai basil leaves

TO GARNISH

★ finely sliced red chilli

★ 1-2 makrut lime leaves, central woody stem removed, finely shredded

TO SERVE ★

jasmine rice, steamed

1 Scoop 2-3 tablespoons of the thick part of the coconut milk into a saucepan and place over a high heat. When bubbling, add the curry paste and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.

2 Add the steak slices and cook

for 3-4 minutes, then add the green beans and stir well.

3 Season with the sugar and fish sauce and add the lime leaves, then about 120ml of the coconut milk. Mix well and simmer for 5-7 minutes.

4 Taste and adjust the saltiness by adding more fish sauce if needed. Add the Thai basil leaves, give it all a quick stir then remove from the heat.

5 Serve with steamed jasmine rice, garnished with the red chillies and lime leaves.

EASY SWAPS

★ You can find panang curry paste online and in major supermarkets. If you would prefer a more authentic version, browse Asian grocery stores. For a ‘cheat’ solution, you can simply mix Thai red curry paste with 1 tablespoon of ground roasted peanuts.

★ I’ve used beef for this recipe, but do also try it with chicken, pork, prawns or tofu.

★ You can always substitute the makrut lime leaves with a little lemon or lime zest.