Thai Beef Panang with Coconut, Chilli & Peanuts

This dish is a revelation: beef cooked in coconut with lemongrass and chilli with a depth of flavour from shrimp paste and lime. If you’re in a hurry, use a packet of Thai red curry paste then add extra ingredients to it; if you have the time, the more authentic version is given in the note at the end.

SERVES 4

Prep 15 minutes

Cook 30 minutes

400g quick-cook stir-fry beef strips

100g Thai red curry paste

2 cardamom pods, seeds only

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tbsp salted peanuts, finely chopped

1 tbsp soft brown sugar

400ml tin coconut milk

2 red peppers, thickly sliced

180g shiitake mushrooms

TO SERVE

handful of fresh coriander

sliced red chillies

handful of salted peanuts, chopped

noodles or rice

• Preheat the oven to 180C/ 160C fan/gas 4 then tip the beef strips into a medium roasting tin or casserole dish (fairly shallow is good, as it allows the beef to brown).
• Mix the Thai red curry paste or your homemade paste (see Note) with the cardamom, coriander, cumin, salted peanuts and brown sugar. Rub this all over the beef then transfer to the oven and cook for 10 minutes.
• Next, stir through the coconut milk, red peppers and mushrooms then mix everything so the beef sits on top of the vegetables. Return to the oven for 20 minutes.
• Scatter over the coriander leaves, chillies and peanuts then serve with noodles or rice.

Note If you would like to make the panang paste from scratch rather than using a bought Thai red curry paste, blitz together 2 shallots, 5cm of galangal, 2 cloves of garlic (peeled), 1 red chilli, 4 kaffir lime leaves, 1 teaspoon of shrimp paste and 2 sticks of lemongrass. Add the dry spices to this as before.