Recipe(tried): Panang curry correction & the paste

Julie,

I am sorry but I have to correct you here... Panang curry is a "Thai" curry, not a Malaysian curry. It is considered by some (esp. Thais) to be the finest Thai flavor. Unlike most Thai curries, the panangs are almost "dry", whether made with beef, pork, chicken or fish. Although the traditional one is beef.

[This is just one method to make it! Like I said, Chris' mom is the only person I know who can make a great Thai curry. This is so far the closest I could get to the taste we have when visiting Thailand each year...]

Hope this helps!

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Panang Curry paste:
make about 1 cup

12-15 dried red chili pepper, seeded, soaked, and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chooped shallots (you may use red/Spanish onion, but the flavor will change a bit.)
1/4 cup garlic
2 T. chopped fresh lemon grass (or 3 T. powdered)
1 T. chopped fresh galangal (or 2 T. dreid)
**galangal is a Thai ginger, very different from the normal one and can't be substituted.)
1 T. chopped fresh kaffir lime peel (2 T. dried)
**Can be substituted with kaffir lime "leaves" but do use more.)
1 t. ground mace
1 t. cardamon seedds (remove from the pods.)
1 t. black peppercorn, whole or freshly ground
1 T. chopped coriander root (the white part)
2 t. caraway seeds
2 t shrimp paste/kapi/or if you can't find the Thai version, use the Malay version which is called "balachan".
1 t/ salt

Soak any dried ingredients until sufficiently soft. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and whir to make a smooth paste. Small amounts of water may be needed to make a smooth paste if dried ingredients are used; use the soaking water of such ingredients.
Or pound t a smooth paste with a mortar abd pestle, the traditional way!