Name: Panang Curry with Shrimp
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 2-4 tablespoons recipe; 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk; 2 tablespoons fish sauce; 6 ounces sugar snap peas , strings removed; 1 red bell pepper , stemmed, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch-wide strips; 1½ pounds large shrimp (26 to 30 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed; ¼ cup chopped fresh mint; ¼ cup chopped fresh basil; ⅓ cup dry-roasted peanuts , chopped

Why This Recipe Works

Unlike more familiar curries, which are typically brothy, panang curry has a thick, velvety consistency (from a judicious amount of coconut milk) that steadfastly clings to the shrimp. To start, we sizzled a few tablespoons of homemade curry paste in vegetable oil; blooming the paste ensured that the fresh aromatics and spices reached their full flavor potential despite the dish's short cooking time. This is a departure from traditional recipes that call for frying the paste in coconut cream that has been “cracked”—that is, simmered until its oil separates out. We've found that coconut milks from different brands yield varying amounts of cream, so the vegetable oil method was more foolproof. Peanut is a final key flavor component; a scattering of finely chopped roasted peanuts over the top before serving lent the dish subtle nuttiness as well as a nice crunch.

Before You Begin

We prefer to use our homemade Thai Panang Curry Paste, but you can substitute store-bought Thai red curry paste if you wish. For a spicier curry, use the larger amount of curry paste.

Instructions

Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add curry paste and cook, stirring frequently, until paste is fragrant and darkens in color to brick red, 5 to 8 minutes. Whisk in coconut milk and fish sauce, bring to simmer, and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, 10 to 12 minutes.

Add snap peas and bell pepper and simmer for 3 minutes. Add shrimp, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are opaque throughout and vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Off heat, stir in mint and basil. Sprinkle with peanuts and serve.