Panang Beef Curry

Ingredients

• 450 g (1 lb) Beef rump, sirloin or chuck, thinly sliced against the grain
• 400 ml (13½ fl oz) Full-fat coconut milk, 1 can, do not shake
• 3 tbsp Panang curry paste
• 2 tbsp Peanut butter, smooth, unsweetened
• 240 ml (1 cup) Beef or chicken stock
• 1½ tbsp Fish sauce
• 1 tbsp Palm or light brown sugar
• 4 Makrut lime leaves, torn
• 1 Red pepper, thinly sliced
• 115 g (4 oz) Green beans, trimmed and halved
• 1 Lime, juice of half, wedges for serving
• Fresh Thai basil or coriander, to finish
• Jasmine rice, to serve

You’ll need: Wide, heavy pan

Method

1. 1

   Fry the paste. Scoop the thick cream from the top of the coconut milk into a wide, heavy pan. If the can has no separate cream layer, use 120 ml (1/2 cup) of the coconut milk instead and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Heat over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until it bubbles and the oil begins to separate. Add the curry paste and peanut butter and stir for 2 minutes, until fragrant and a shade darker.

2. 2

   Simmer the sauce. Pour in the rest of the coconut milk and the stock. Add the fish sauce, sugar and half the lime leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes, until slightly reduced.

3. 3

   Cook the beef. Add the sliced beef and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 8 minutes, until just cooked through; thin slices turn grey and chewy if simmered for longer. Tougher cuts such as chuck need a different method: see the swap note.

4. 4

   Add the vegetables. Add the pepper and green beans and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until just tender and the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon.

5. 5

   Season and serve. Take off the heat and stir in the lime juice. Taste and add a little more fish sauce or sugar to balance. Scatter over the remaining lime leaves and the basil and serve with jasmine rice and lime wedges.