Thai Curry, red or Panang

Hi all! I'm new to the forum and did a search under Thai curry before posting. I noticed a lot of possibilities but not one I've been trying to find for a long time.

I'm desperate for a good, authentic recipe for Panang curry specifically. If I can't find that, then Massaman curry or red will do too. I've found recipes online but there's always one or two ingredients in there that I know they don't use at my favorite Thai joints. Anyone know of a good one for me?

Thanks!
Penny

Here is our recipe:
1 can of Maesri Brand Panang Curry
1 large can of coconut milk
1.5lbs of cubed beef (for stew)
Kifar Lime leaf
Fish Sauce
Suger

Stir fry the curry with oil, then add the coconut milk and boil- when it boils add your beef (you can use chicken, fish or shrimp, but then you will not cook it as long).
When it returns to a boil, add some fish sauce and suger, lower the heat and simmer all day add Kifar Lime leaf in the last hour of cooking...the curry is always better the next day. Enjoy!
I know i simplified this recipe, so feel free to ask questions if needed.

I've never seen kaffir lime leaves denoted as kifar(so much for transliteration)...a websearch using the aforementioned spelling might deliver better results...imo.

I, too, enjoy the Maesri curries. Mussaman(Massaman/Musselman) being a particular favorite of the s/o. I don't do beef, but chicken. Maesri also makes a decent Penang. You can find Maesri curries at *most* of the supermarkets lining Argyle/Sheridan/Broadway. Cans go for about .50...tubs for more.

I'll also take this opportunity to flog David Thompson's inimitable, scholarly Thai Food...both a cookbook and an encyclopedia. Here, you'll find many of the curry recipes you're searching after.

Perhaps Penny's Noodle Shop will actually serve *Thai* food if we all pitch in with recipes.

Agreed - I like the idea of Penny's, but I don't love the food... and no one warned me about Thai iced tea. Lesson learned!

You don't like Thai iced tea? Or is it just the iced tea in the place under discussion?

Sorry about my spelling mistakes...one should not post so soon after a tooth extraction and a heavy dose of pain killers.
Anyway, this is a recipe from my Thai in-laws. Enjoy

The Thai iced tea just wasn't at all what I thought it would be. I don't know what I thought, but what I got wasn't it... I know I made a face after the first sip, but I don't remember what it tasted like, just the face.

As for the receipe, is it just to taste or do you have measurements for the other ingredients?

In typical otaku fashion, I make phanaeng curry from scratch à la Thompson et al., but if you are not so inclined, here is a simple recipe (requiring ready-made curry paste) which I've translated and adapted from a popular Thai cookbook.

1 lb. sliced beef (sirloin, etc.)
2 c. coconut milk
3 Tbsp. ready-made phanaeng curry paste (Maesri, etc.)
.25 c. water
2 fresh Thai chiles, scored lengthwise
3 Tbs. sugar (preferably palm)
.5 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. fish sauce
.5 c. peanuts (roasted and ground)
5 fresh kaffir lime leaves, torn into large pieces
.25 c. fresh Thai sweet basil leaves

Bring .5 c. coconut milk to a simmer in a large pot over medium heat.

When the oil separates add the curry paste and slowly return to a simmer, stirring constantly.

When the curry paste reveals its pungent aroma add the sliced beef and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the remaining coconut milk and the water, and slowly return to a simmer, stirring occasionally.

Add the chiles, sugar, salt, and fish sauce, and slowly return to a simmer, stirring occasionally.

Add the peanuts and cook for 30 minutes over low heat, or until the sauce has reduced by one half, stirring occasionally.

Add the lime/basil leaves, and remove the pot from the heat.

Rest the pot for 5 minutes and serve with steamed rice.

The curry should be thick, rich, and oily.

E.M.

We made Gaeng Hang Le with BR's excellent paste from the Thai condiment exchange. This is a Northern Thai style curry that probably has a Burmese origin. The curry has some less typical ingredients--pickled garlic, lots of ginger, tamarind, we added a handful of peanuts since I remembered them being in a version I had tried previously. I didn't have pork belly/neck so I used a nicely fatty hunk of pork butt.

I thought it turned out great. We'll definitely be making this again. Thanks BR for the recipe and the paste!

Thanks thaiobsessed - coming from a Thai food master, quite the compliment. Glad it turned out well - I also use peanuts in my version. Although some question the addition of peanuts, both times I had it in Chiang Mai, peanuts were included.