Thai Panang Curry with Tofu

A mild Thai Panang curry with crispy tofu, bell pepper and a creamy peanut-coconut sauce. The curry paste is homemade, entirely without fish sauce and shrimp paste.

By Beeny · 5 servings · 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 Dose Coconut milk
  • 400 g Tofu, firm
  • 4 Stück dried mild red chilies
  • 1 Stück stalks lemongrass
  • 10 g ginger
  • 2 Stück garlic cloves
  • 1 Stück shallot
  • 1 TL coriander seeds
  • 1 TL cumin, ground
  • 40 g unsalted peanuts
  • 1 Stück lime (zest and juice)
  • 4 Stück kaffir lime leaves
  • 1 EL brown sugar
  • 1 TL salt
  • 2 EL neutral cooking oil
  • 1 Stück red bell pepper
  • 1 Bund coriander

Method

  1. Place the dried chilies in a bowl of hot water and let them soak for 10 minutes.
  2. Toast the coriander seeds and cumin in a dry pan for a short time until fragrant, then let them cool.
  3. Roughly chop the lemongrass, ginger, garlic and shallot. Drain the chilies and blend them with the spices, the peanuts, the lime zest, 1 tsp salt and 2 tbsp coconut milk until you have a smooth paste.
  4. Cut the tofu into cubes and fry them in a large pan with 1 tbsp oil over medium heat until golden brown on all sides, then set aside.
  5. Cut the bell pepper into strips. Warm the remaining coconut milk in a large pot until oil starts to separate, then fry the curry paste in it for 2 minutes.
  6. Add the rest of the coconut milk, the kaffir lime leaves, the brown sugar and the lime juice and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
  7. Add the bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes more. Fold in the tofu and warm everything through briefly, then season with salt.
  8. Roughly chop the coriander leaves and scatter them over the curry. Serve with rice.