Explore the rich depths of flavor in our Beef Panang Curry, where fiery Panang curry sauce, velvety coconut milk, zesty lime leaves and crunchy peanuts meet for an unforgettable taste sensation, ready in 30 minutes!
1/2lb.boneless beefsuch as tri-tip, very thinly sliced crosswise into 2-inch strips
3Tbsp.ground peanuts*****
1/4c.basil leavespreferably Thai basil leaves or Holy basil, roughly chopped
* See notes below for substitution options
Instructions
Pour a half cup of coconut milk into a wok or skillet set over medium-high heat. Once hot and foaming, add the Panang curry paste and use the back of a wooden spoon to break apart any large chunks. Stir the curry paste and the coconut milk until fully combined.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the rest of the coconut milk, water, fish sauce, palm sugar, and lime leaves. Let simmer for a few minutes, then add the thinly sliced beef and stir.
Cook the beef, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or more as needed to fully cook. Add the ground peanuts and reduce the heat to low. Stir to combine the peanuts with the curry.
Just before serving, turn off the heat and remove the wild lime leaves. Add the basil leaves and stir. Serve with rice.
Notes
* When I have a recipe that calls for just part of a can of coconut milk, I like to use the leftovers to replace part of the water used to make rice. It really adds a delicious flavor and texture to the rice and keeps me from finding wasted Tupperware containers of coconut milk in the back of my fridge.**Substitute red curry paste or Massaman curry paste if you don’t have Panang.***Use brown sugar if you don’t have palm sugar.****Wild lime leaves make all the difference in the world, but the curry will still taste delicious without them. If you can’t find any, substitute 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice. If using lime juice instead, add it at the very end along with the basil.*****I threw some peanuts in my food processor until ground, but you could also use regular peanut butter.You can store Beef Panang Curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, it freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.To reheat, gently warm it on the stove over low heat, stirring occasionally, to prevent the coconut milk from separating. Avoid microwaving as it can unevenly heat the curry and affect its texture.