Panang curry is a dish with a long history and rich cultural background. Smelling of peanuts, ginger and kaffir lime leaves, its sweet coconut milk base is much milder than other curries from Thailand. Served over rice seasoned with pepper and garlic, this dish is an ideal meal for the cold days of February in Colorado.
While many restaurants and home kitchens prepare their curries with love from scratch, this curry was made with a kit purchased at King Soopers. Beginning with a bright orange curry paste tempered with coconut milk, the sauce was simmered with Kroger brand frozen vegetables and turkey meatballs. The curry’s notes of galangal and lemongrass melded nicely with the onions and green peppers present in the vegetable mix especially designed for stir fries.
Cooked the night before, then chilled overnight to allow the flavors to mix, this panang curry became an excellent lunch meal. The firmness of the turkey meatballs contrasted with the crunch of the peanuts and smooth glide of the mushrooms contributed to an overall texture that was more than the sum of its parts. The vegetables were chopped into large chunks, so each bite brings its own unique mouthfeel to the table. The kaffir lime leaves add a touch of bitterness and herbacity that other Thai curries lack.
According to Blue Dragon, the manufacturer of the curry kit, panang curry originates in central Thailand. My first experience with Thai food was in central Arizona. My grandpa took us to a Thai restaurant in downtown Mesa, and I fell in love. I was going to visit him for his 80th birthday party in March of 2020. I wasn’t able to then, and I wasn’t able to go to his funeral Monday. He didn’t like Thai food, but he loved spending time with his family. Time spent with food is as close as we can get sometimes, in this post-COVID era.
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