This dish might be in the running, along with Rendang and Khao Soi Curry Noodles (both in my book Vegan Street Food), for South East Asia’s biggest crowd-pleasing curry. This thick, salty and sweet Thai curry is rarely made with vegetables, and usually with beef, pork or chicken. Sometimes the small Thai pea aubergines/eggplants are added, but you could substitute with green peas if you like.
This recipe uses the fragrant chicken-like seitan recipe but you could use any ready-made vegan chicken pieces. Simply add the bite-sized pieces into the rich curry sauce. You could also use ready-made canned seitan from a Chinese supermarket. Ensure the pieces are well rinsed in warm water and dried before using, or the flavour of the brine will dominate the sauce. Simply use your hands to tear the pieces into the curry during the last few minutes of simmering.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 3 lemongrass stalks, trimmed
- 5 kaffir lime leaves
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 4–5-cm/1½–2-inch piece of fresh galangal (or use fresh ginger), peeled
- 4 banana shallots, peeled
- 10 small red bird’s eye chillies/chiles
- 3 large red chillies/chiles
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ½–1 teaspoon sea salt, to taste
- 3 tablespoons red-skinned peanuts, lightly toasted, plus extra to garnish
- 1–2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 x 400-ml/14-oz. can coconut milk
- 1½ tablespoons soft dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- large handful of fresh Thai pea aubergines/eggplants (or use frozen peas)
- 11½ oz (320 g) fragrant satay ‘chicken’ pieces
- ½–1 teaspoon sea salt, to taste
- 2 limes, 1 cut into wedges
- For the paste, gently toast the cumin, black pepper and coriander in a small frying pan/skillet until they start to smell fragrant. Take care not to burn them or they will taste bitter. Add all the Panang paste ingredients into a blender, including the toasted spices, and blitz to make a smooth paste. Add a little of the vegetable oil if needed to loosen the mixture and ensure everything blends evenly.
- Place a heavy-based pan over a medium heat and then add 4 tablespoons of the paste to the pan along with a tablespoon of the oil. Cook the paste gently for 8–9 minutes. (Any unused paste will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a week, or can be frozen.)
- Add the coconut milk, sugar and white pepper to the pan, then bring to a simmer and cook on a low heat for approximately 10 minutes, then add the pea aubergines/eggplants and cook for further 20–30 minutes until well thickened. Next, add the ‘chicken’ pieces (and frozen peas if using instead of pea aubergines/eggplants) and bring to a simmer again. Check the seasoning, and add more salt and sugar to taste. Finish with the juice of one lime.
- Serve with steamed jasmine rice, a wedge of lime and a sprinkle of toasted nuts, if you like.