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Beef panang curry recipe

Beef panang curry recipe

93 ratings

Richer and thicker than a classic Thai red curry, panang curry has a creamy, nutty flavour. This beef version is the perfect fakeaway to enjoy in front of the telly. See method

  • Serves 4
  • 15 mins to prepare and 25 mins to cook
  • 545 calories / serving
  • Gluten-free

Ingredients

For the panang paste

  • 1 shallot, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1 red chilli, halved and deseeded
  • 2 sticks lemongrass, trimmed and roughly chopped
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 whole star anise
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 green cardamom pods, crushed to release inner black seeds only
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp ground white pepper
  • 4 dry kaffir lime leaves
  • 1 lime, juice only

For the curry

  • 100g unsalted peanuts, shelled
  • 1 tbsp groundnut oil
  • 400ml tin coconut milk
  • 4 dried kaffir lime leaves
  • 2 tbsp palm sugar or light muscovado sugar
  • 2-3 tbsp fish sauce, to taste
  • 500g sirloin steak, trimmed of obvious fat and finely sliced
  • 1 lime, juice only
  • handful basil leaves (preferably Thai basil, but standard is fine)
  • 1 red chilli, finely sliced
  • steamed rice, to serve
If you don't have any limes, try a lemon instead

Each serving contains

  • Energy

    2265kj
    545kcal     27%

  • Fat

    39g 55%

  • Saturates

    21g 106%

  • Sugars

    11g 12%

  • Salt

    1.4g 23%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 12.9g Protein 38.3g Fibre 1.8g

Method

  1. To make the panang paste, pound all the ingredients together in a large pestle and mortar for at least 5 mins to form a paste. Alternatively, use the small bowl of a food processor and pulse-chop until a relatively smooth paste forms, stopping regularly to scrape down the bowl.
  2. To make the curry, put the peanuts in a dry frying pan and toast over a low heat for a few minutes, shaking the pan often, until golden and fragrant. Let them cool then roughly chop, or crush in a pestle and mortar.
  3. Put the oil in a wok or large, deep-sided frying pan and set on a low-medium heat. Add the panang paste and cook, stirring often, for 5 mins until fragrant and sizzling. Add the coconut milk and lime leaves and increase the heat. Bubble down for 2-3 mins until slightly thickened. Stir in the sugar and 2 tbsp fish sauce and continue to simmer for 5 mins to reduce the sauce.
  4. Add the steak and cook for 2-3 mins more until it no longer looks pink and raw. Add the lime juice, then taste the curry and add a further tbsp of fish sauce if it needs more salt. Remove from the heat and scatter with the peanuts, basil leaves and sliced chilli. Serve hot with steamed rice.

See more Curry recipes

For top tips on protecting you and your family when preparing raw meat and poultry, visit Food Safety in the Home.

As part of a healthy balanced diet, we recommend this recipe for a special occasion or treat.

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