Thai Panang Curry with Pork
Ultra rich and creamy, this Thai panang curry uses a quality store-bought curry paste plus aromatics like ginger and lemongrass to infuse every bite with a bold yet balanced flavor.You might have to pop to your local Asian grocery store to pick up some special ingredients, but all are easy to find! And with just a quick 25-minute cook time, this spicy-sweet curry is perfect for busy weeknights!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Makes: 4 - 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1/4 cup Mae Ploy panang curry paste*
- 2 stalks lemongrass, cut into pieces and smashed with the back of your knife
- 1 inch fresh ginger, (or galangal if you can find it), sliced thick
- 4-6 makrut lime leaves, (6 if they are very small, 4 if they are larger)
- 3 cups full-fat canned coconut milk, Aroy D is my preferred brand for flavor and texture
- 1 oz (2 tablespoons) palm sugar*
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed of silver skin and sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced thin
- 1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves (plus more for serving)
- steamed jasmine rice, for serving
- kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- Mix sliced pork with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, working the cornstarch well into the meat. Set aside.
- In a heavy duty braiser (I use a 3.5 quart le creuset braiser), heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil over medium heat. Add the curry paste, lemongrass and ginger/galangal and kaffir lime leaves. Using a wooden spoon, sauté the paste and aromatics for about 3-4 minutes until the paste starts to brown.
- Add the pork and sear it for 2-3 minutes, tossing it in the curry paste.
- Add coconut milk and bring to simmer, using the wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits. Reduce the sauce a bit until the curry sauce has darkened slightly.
- Add the palm sugar and fish sauce and cook until sugar has completely dissolved. Taste sauce and add salt as necessary.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the lime leaves, ginger/galangal and lemongrass, and discard.
- Add the onion, bell pepper and carrot and simmer for 5-7 minutes, until tender.
- Stir in the Thai basil and simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste for any additional seasoning, then serve topped with Thai basil over steamed jasmine rice.
Notes
*Palm sugar: Do not buy a jar because it’s so hard to get out of the jar! Buy the little discs; you can substitute brown sugar or raw sugar in a pinch.
*If you're sensitive to spice, consider using a bit less curry paste.
Nutrition
Calories: 663kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 29gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 40gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 469mgPotassium: 1252mgFiber: 7gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 8360IUVitamin C: 50mgCalcium: 92mgIron: 6mg
