09 February, 2009

Pork Panaeng (Panaeng Mou)


Although traditional Panaeng Mou doesn't include vegetables, but you can try adding your own favourite vegetables to the curry and leave a comment if you come up with a good combination!

INGREDIENTS:
  • 500g Pork fillet or Tenderloin - thinly sliced
  • 2 tins coconut milk - separated into a saucepan of the thin milk, retaining the thick milk (creamy, solid) for later
  • 1 tin cold water (measure with the empty coconut milk tin)
  • 3 tablespoons groundnut or similar oil
  • 2 tablespoons Panaeng curry paste
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 5 kaffir lime leaves - torn into pieces, discarding the stem
  • 2 tablespoons palm sugar (or brown sugar)
  • 2 big red chillies (optional)
  • Sweet basil leaves
PREPARATIONS:
  • Put the pork into the wok with the thin coconut milk and water. Make sure the pork is covered by the liquid, then bring to the boil and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  • Put the oil in a wok and fry the Panaeng curry paste for about 4 minutes until cooked. Be careful at this stage not to burn the paste. Frying the paste produces a strong, spicy smell so you might want to close the kitchen door, turn on the extractor fan or open a window! For best results just keep moving the paste around the wok and keep the heat fairly gentle.
  • Once the paste has been frying for a few minutes add most of the thick coconut milk and bring to the boil.
  • Add the cooked pork and all the remaining thin coconut milk and incorporate it into the curry base, bring back to the boil.
  • Add the palm sugar and stir to melt and combine, then add the fish sauce and kaffir lime leaves. Stir to combine.
  • Turn off the heat and garnish with basil leaves, chillies and a swirl of thick coconut milk. Serve with steamed Thai fragrant rice.