Panang Chicken Curry (Phanaeng Gai)

Method

1. Slice the chicken across the grain into thin 5 mm slices about 4 cm long. Tear the centre vein out of the lime leaves: tear half of them into pieces and roll the rest up tightly and cut them into hair-thin threads. Slice the chilli thinly on the diagonal. Crush the peanuts coarsely. Open the coconut milk without shaking it and spoon the thick cream from the top into a separate bowl.

2. Put the oil and about a third of the coconut milk (the thick cream from the top) into a 24 cm wok or frying pan over medium heat. Let it bubble for 3 min, stirring, until it thickens and you see little pools of clear oil on the surface. This is called cracking the cream, and it lets the paste fry instead of boil.

   Add in this stepNeutral vegetable oil 1 tbspCoconut milk (full-fat, unshaken) 90 ml

   medium heat

3. Turn the heat down to medium-low heat, add the curry paste and peanuts and fry for 2 min, stirring and pressing constantly so nothing catches, until the paste smells very fragrant, darkens slightly and red oil seeps out.

   Add in this stepPanang curry paste 2½ tbspRoasted unsalted peanuts, crushed 2 tbsp

   medium-low heat

4. Add the chicken, turn the heat back up to medium heat and stir for 4 min until every slice is coated in paste and has turned white on the outside.

   Add in this stepBoneless chicken thighs (or breast) 300 g

   medium heat

5. Pour in most of the remaining coconut milk, keeping 2 to 3 tablespoons aside for the end. Add the torn lime leaves, fish sauce and palm sugar and simmer over medium heat for 6 min, stirring now and then, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Panang should be thick and clinging, not soupy.

   Add in this stepCoconut milk (full-fat, unshaken) 180 mlMakrut lime leaves 2½Fish sauce 3 tspPalm sugar (or brown sugar) 18 g

   medium heat

6. Taste and balance: it should be salty first, then sweet and gently spicy. Add a few drops more fish sauce or a pinch of sugar if needed. Turn off the heat and stir in the basil. Spoon onto plates, drizzle with the reserved coconut milk and top with the lime-leaf threads and chilli slices. Serve with jasmine rice.

   Add in this stepThai basil leaves 10 gMakrut lime leaves 2½Fresh red chilli 1Coconut milk (full-fat, unshaken) 30 ml