There we were, my husband Patrick and I, dismounting an elephant into a waist-deep pool of water. As the elephant began to stand up, her giant foot came down on Patrick’s toe. He quickly pulled it away as her crushing weight found the pool’s bottom…
Close call.
Elephants, tigers, temples and yoga…a lot of exciting things happened while we were in Thailand, including this Thai Panang Curry.
I’ve always loved Thai food, but it wasn’t until I spent two months in Southeast Asia last summer that I truly learned to appreciate it. Those flavors. The Thai people have definitely figured things out in the flavor department, that’s for sure.
I traveled to Asia with my husband, brother and sis-in-law. We were lucky enough to take a Thai cooking class while we were there, which was truly a highlight of our trip for me. We started the class with a tour of the local market, and then proceeded to cook multiple traditional Thai dishes in the blazing Asia heat by the torching stovetops. My shiny face is not shining with water, people. 😉
Let’s talk a bit about this recipe. Thai food is traditionally spicy, so use those chilies sparingly if you’re not a fan of the burning mouth. Also, don’t be scared away by the ingredients. All you have to do is head on over to your local Asian market to pick up the specialized ingredients like Panang curry paste, kaffir lime leaves and sweet Thai basil. And let me tell you, it’s worth it. The taste of the Panang curry is amazing, and the trip to the Asian market is an adventure in itself! (You’ll have more luck if you try a Southeast Asian market). I’d recommend calling around to nearby Asian markets to make sure they sell Panang curry paste, because that particular paste can be a little tricky to find. But again, SO worth the hunt! (*If you can’t find Panang curry paste, you can order it here. Or if you’re an overachiever, comment below and I will post the recipe of how to make it yourself. But let me warn you, it takes some work and uses a lot of ingredients.)
This curry is seriously YUM. Just thinking about it makes me want to head over to the Asian market and wander the aisles aimlessly, reminiscing of that time when Pat’s foot almost got crushed by an elephant…
Just a head’s up, this week is Thai food week, so stay tuned for the next recipe! (Think sweet and coconutty)!
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 [14-oz.] can coconut cream or coconut milk
- 3 Tbsp. Panang curry paste
- 1 lbs. chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup string beans
- 1 cup carrots
- 1 cup baby corn
- Diced red chilies or hot sauce to taste
- 1 tsp. fish sauce
- 3 tsp. sugar
- 2 kaffir lime leaves, broken in half (can substitute 1 Tbsp. grated lime zest if necessary but won’t be as flavorful)
- 2 Tbsp. sweet Thai basil leaves, chopped (can substitute Italian sweet basil)
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to the package and set aside.
- In a wok or large skillet, add the oil and coconut milk. Heat on medium-high and add the Panang curry paste. Stir continuously for 1 minute.
- Add the chicken and stir until it's cooked through and no longer pink.
- Add the fish sauce, sugar and chilies or hot sauce. Once mixed add the beans, carrots, baby corn and kaffir lime leaves.
- Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Top with basil and serve warm over cooked white rice.
Notes
*To make this vegan, substitute the chicken for tofu.
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32 Comments
Omg! That looks amazing!!!!
Thanks Michelle! It tastes amazing too 😉
Great post. Love your writing and your pictures.
Thanks Manon! It’s always more fun to hear the story behind a recipe in my opinion.
That curry looks amazing!
Thanks Jenny! Hope you love it as much as we do.
I have never thought about making my own Thia food. I have always avoided it because I am a big baby when it spicy food. The curry you made looks amazing!
Missy, the great thing about homemade Thai food is you can adjust the spiciness level to the way you want it. It’s always fun to make new recipes from new places…I hope you give it a try!
I love curry and thai! This recipe looks amazing! I will definitely be trying that! Awesome trip, too! I hope to go there one day – and ride an elephant!
Jenni, Curry is the best right? And YES you need to plan a trip to Thailand someday. It’s an incredible country, and while you’re there you need to ride an elephant AND take a cooking class. Such cool experiences!
This looks amazing! There’s nothing like learning how to make Thai food than in Thailand! Looks like you had a great time…will have to look for that Panang curry paste on my next trip to the Asian market!
Thanks Joscelyn! Yes, keep your eyes open for that Panang curry paste. It is seriously delish.
I’ve never had curry. I’m a bit of a picky eater and can’t handle spice. I do however hope to one day ride an elephant.
Dia, I hope you get to ride an elephant someday! I also hope you get up the courage to try curry. 😉 It’s delicious and you can adjust it to your spiciness level!
I wish we had an Asian market! This would be fun to try.
Ariel, you can order the Panang Curry Paste online here, and substitute the rest of the ingredients with common ones. (Zest of one lime for kaffir leaves, common Italian basil for Thai basil). It may taste a little different, but it will still be delicious!
What an experience! To take a cooking class there must have been amazing! This recipe looks delicious, and I’m so glad the elephant missed his toe!
Thanks Angie! It is a tasty recipe, and I’m glad it missed his toe too. 🙂 We would of had an interesting time trying to navigate the Thai healthcare system if this toe had been amputated by that cute elephant haha!
We love love love curry and are always up for trying new recipes. My Dad is from Thailand so he always has tweaks for me to try 😉
Becki, That’s so cool that your dad is from Thailand! I’m sure he’s an incredible cook. If he has any suggestions of tweaks for this recipe, I’d love to hear them!
oh gosh so jealous you got to take a cooking class while there! I love Thai Panang Curry! Thanks for the recipe!
Angela, It’s the best isn’t it? And you’re so welcome for the recipe. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
I have a jar of Panang Curry sauce I got from the grocery store. I think I’ll add some veges to it and rice and call that dinner tonight.
Cori, Yes! Use up that Panang Curry sauce. I’m sure it’s divine. I haven’t seen it as a pre-made sauce, only in the curry paste form. That simplifies dinner even more!
I’m hoping to visit Thailand this year! You look like you had fun with the elephants! 🙂 Great recipe!
Victoria, Oh my goodness I hope your trip works out! You will absolutely love Thailand (and its delicious food)! 🙂
I felt the same way after a holiday in Thailand! I can’t get enough of those flavours and aromas. ?
Truly, they know how to make food over there don’t they!
Yum! This sounds so great. Awesome pictures by the way! Love that one with the elephant. I’ll definitely be trying this with tofu instead of chicken. Can’t wait!
Thanks Sam! I’m glad you enjoyed the pictures, and I hope you enjoy the curry!
Are we supposed to use coconut cream or coconut milk for this recipe? The list says cream but the instructions say milk. Just thought I’d double check. Thanks!
Annie, whoops! Our bad. Thanks so much for catching that. Actually, either coconut milk or coconut cream would work for this dish. It’s that coconut flavor that you’re really looking for. We usually just use coconut milk. Happy cooking! Let us know how it goes.