Salmon panang
Make this velvety Thai panang curry from scratch with a homemade paste. Finished with fried salmon fillets, zingy lime and fresh coriander.
Ingredients
For the panang paste
- 6 dried red chillies
- small handful fresh coriander stalks (use the leaves to garnish)
- 1 lemongrass stalk, sliced
- ½ lime, zest only
- 2.5cm/1in piece fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped (see Recipe Tip)
- 2 shallots, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp paprika
- ½ tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp fish paste
- 10g peanuts (optional)
- ¼ tsp sea salt
For the curry
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 200ml/7fl oz good-quality coconut milk
- 3–4 fresh makrut lime leaves
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 2 salmon fillets
- 1 tsp lime juice
To serve
- 4–5 coriander leaves (optional)
- Thai jasmine rice, cooked, to serve (optional)
Method
In a food processor or using a hand-held stick blender, blend all the ingredients for the panang paste together with 2 tbsp water until smooth.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over a low heat, then add 3 tablespoons of your homemade panang paste and fry until infused, 1–2 minutes. After that, pour the coconut milk into the pan and add the lime leaves. Bring to the boil and season with the sugar, oyster sauce and fish sauce. Turn the heat down and simmer for 10–12 minutes, adding 50ml water if required.
Meanwhile, use kitchen paper to pat dry the salmon fillets. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to a non-stick frying pan and add the fish, skin-side down, then place over a medium heat. After about 4–5 minutes, when the salmon skin looks crisp and golden and the flesh is 75% cooked, carefully flip the fillets and continue frying for another 1–2 minutes, until the salmon is cooked through. Set aside.
Remove the panang curry from the heat, add the lime juice and fold. Transfer the curry to a serving bowl and place the salmon fillets on top. Garnish with coriander, if using, and serve with fluffy Thai jasmine rice, if you like.
Recipe Tips
For the ginger, make sure you get a young and non-woody piece, which tends to be those little nodes that grow from the main part of ginger.
You can make the panang paste in advance and keep it in the fridge for 2–3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.