Panang Curry Paste: My Mother Never Bought It In a Tin

NOTE FROM SUSIE

Sawasdee Kha, and Hello.

My mother never bought curry paste. Not once. I didn’t understand that as a child. I understand it now.

There is a mortar in my kitchen that came across the ocean with her. The stone is worn in the middle — a small hollow made by decades of the same motion. Pound. Turn. Pound again. She would start in the morning, before anything else. The dried chilies first. Then the lemongrass. Then the galangal. The smell would build slowly, like something waking up.

She didn’t rush it. You cannot rush it. The paste has to become something — not just ingredients ground together, but a single thing that didn’t exist before. That takes time. It takes attention. It takes a mortar that has done this before.

The first time I made Panang curry paste from scratch in Florida, I called her. She didn’t give me measurements. She said: you will know when it smells right. Pound it until it smells right.

She was correct. I always am when I listen to her.

WHAT IS PANANG CURRY PASTE?

Panang curry paste — พะแนง — is the aromatic base of one of Thailand’s most beloved curries. It belongs to the red curry family but it is its own thing entirely. Where red curry paste is sharp and fiery, Panang paste is rounder, richer, and more complex. The dried chilies are there but they sit beneath layers of lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime zest, coriander root, and — the ingredient that makes Panang distinct from every other Thai curry paste — roasted peanuts, ground directly into the paste itself.

The name Panang is thought to derive from Penang, the Malaysian island, which speaks to the southern Thai and Malay influences that shaped this curry. It traveled north and became something distinctly Thai — slower cooking, coconut-forward, thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Most people buy it in a tin. That is fine for a Tuesday. But the from-scratch version — made with a mortar and pestle, dried chilies soaked overnight, lemongrass pounded until it disappears — is a different thing entirely. For a deeper look at the regional roots of Thai curry pastes, the Thai Food Master resource traces their history with precision.

The smell when you open the mortar. That is the whole point.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Dried red chilies are the backbone. Long dried chilies, not bird’s eye — you want heat with body, not heat that overwhelms everything else. Soak them overnight in cold water. They will soften and the color will deepen into something almost burgundy. Remove the seeds if you want less fire. My mother kept half.

Lemongrass — the lower third only, the pale part where the layers compress. Slice it thin before it goes into the mortar. It has tough fibers that resist grinding. The more you break it down before pounding, the smoother your paste will be.

Galangal is not ginger. Do not substitute ginger. Galangal is sharper, more medicinal, more floral. It is what gives Thai curry paste its particular depth. Find it fresh at any Asian grocery. Peel it and slice it thin.

Kaffir lime zest — just the zest, scraped fine. Not the juice. The zest carries an intensity that is unlike anything else in Thai cooking. A little goes far.

Coriander root. Not the leaves. The root, scrubbed clean and chopped. If you cannot find it, use the lower stems. The flavor is earthier and more concentrated than the leaves.

Roasted peanuts, ground. This is what separates Panang paste from red curry paste. They go in toward the end and they give the paste its characteristic richness and body. Use unsalted. Dry roast them yourself for five minutes if you can.

Shrimp paste — belacan or kapi. Wrapped in foil and toasted in a dry pan for two minutes. The smell is confronting. The flavor it gives the paste is irreplaceable.

White peppercorns, cumin, coriander seeds — toasted dry and ground. These are the base notes. Everything else builds on top of them

VISUAL WALK THROUGH

Step 1: Soak the Chilies

The night before, cover the dried chilies in cold water and leave them. By morning they will be pliable and dark. Drain them, remove the seeds if you prefer less heat, and set them aside. Do not skip the soaking. Unsoaked chilies will not pound smoothly and your paste will be grainy.

Step 2: Toast and Grind the Dry Spices

Dry toast the coriander seeds, cumin, and white peppercorns in a pan over low heat until fragrant. Two to three minutes. Watch them. They go from toasted to burnt faster than you expect. Let them cool, then grind them fine. Set aside.

Step 3: Prepare Each Ingredient

Slice the lemongrass thin. Peel and slice the galangal. Zest the kaffir lime. Chop the coriander root. Slice the shallots and garlic. Everything goes into the mortar in stages — working from hardest to softest. Preparation matters here. The finer you cut before pounding, the smoother the paste.

Step 4: Pound in Stages

★ This is What Makes the Difference

Start with the hard aromatics — lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime zest. Pound until they begin to break down. Then add the chilies. Then the coriander root, shallots, garlic. Then the dry spices. Work each addition until it is fully incorporated before adding the next. This is not fast work. Twenty to thirty minutes by hand. The paste should be smooth with no visible fibrous strands.

Step 5: Add the Peanuts and Shrimp Paste

Add the ground roasted peanuts and the toasted shrimp paste last. Pound until everything is one thing — a dense, fragrant, dark-red paste that holds together when you press it. Taste it. It should be complex and layered. If it smells right, it is right.

Step 6: Store or Use Immediately

Use immediately or store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. It also freezes well — portion it into tablespoon-sized amounts in an ice cube tray, freeze, then transfer to a bag. Pull out exactly what you need.

Panang Curry Paste.

Susie Thompson

This is the Panang curry paste my mother made from scratch every time, without measurement, without a written recipe. The roasted peanuts go in last. The shrimp paste gets toasted first. Everything else is patience and a mortar that has done this before. Make it once and you will understand why she never bought it in a tin.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Sauce

Cuisine Thai

Servings 8

Calories 20 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon white peppercorns
• 10 dried red chilies soaked and deseeded
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 cloves garlic peeled
• 5 shallots peeled
• 2 stalks lemongrass finely chopped
• 1- inch piece galangal peeled and sliced
• 1 teaspoon kaffir lime zest
• 1 teaspoon shrimp paste

Instructions

 

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• Toast the Spices: Begin by toasting the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and white peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium heat. Stir constantly for about 3-4 minutes until they release a rich, aromatic fragrance. This toasting process intensifies the flavors of the spices, crucial for creating a robust curry paste. Transfer the toasted spices to a mortar and pestle and grind them into a fine powder, enhancing the depth of flavor.
• Prepare the Chilies: Soak the dried red chilies in warm water for approximately 15 minutes until they soften. Once softened, drain and deseed the chilies to moderate their heat while preserving their vibrant color and essential flavor. Combine the chilies with salt in a mortar and pestle, pounding them into a smooth, fiery paste that forms the base of your curry.
• Blend the Aromatics: Add garlic, shallots, lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime zest to the chili paste in the mortar. With patient pounding, blend these aromatic ingredients together until they meld into a harmonious, fragrant mixture. The kitchen fills with enticing aromas, promising a delicious outcome with every stir.
• Incorporate Shrimp Paste: Integrate the shrimp paste into the aromatic mixture, ensuring it distributes evenly. This addition infuses the paste with a subtle umami richness characteristic of authentic Panang Curry. Continue pounding until the paste achieves a smooth, consistent texture that’s essential for a well-balanced dish.
• Final Blend: Transfer the paste to a blender or food processor for a finer texture, blending until completely smooth. If needed, add a small amount of water to facilitate blending. This final step ensures a silky consistency ideal for incorporating into various recipes.
• Store the Paste: Place the finished Panang Curry Paste into an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to one week to maintain freshness, or freeze it for longer storage, up to three months. Having homemade curry paste on hand allows you to effortlessly enhance future culinary endeavors with authentic Thai flavors.

Notes

The mortar and pestle is not optional for the best result. A food processor will give you a paste but it will be wet and slightly coarse. The mortar builds heat through friction as you work, which releases the oils differently. If you must use a processor, pulse rather than blend continuously, and add a tablespoon of water only if needed to keep it moving.

The paste keeps for two weeks in the refrigerator in a sealed jar with a thin layer of oil pressed over the surface. For longer storage, freeze in tablespoon portions. It goes directly from frozen into the pan — no thawing needed.

Dried long red chilies vary in heat. Thai ones are hotter than Mexican guajillo or New Mexico chilies, which are common substitutes. Start with the amount in the recipe and adjust to your heat tolerance. You can always add chili flakes to the finished curry.

This recipe makes enough paste for two to three batches of Panang curry. The work is the same whether you make a little or a lot. Make a full batch. You will be glad you did.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoonCalories: 20kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.5gSodium: 200mgFiber: 1g

Keyword Thai Panang Curry

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

LET’S GET THIS RIGHT

Can I use a food processor instead of a mortar and pestle?

Yes, but it is a different paste. The food processor chops where the mortar pounds, and the result is wetter and slightly less fragrant. If you use one, add ingredients in the same order — hardest first — and pulse rather than run it continuously. The paste will work. It just will not be the same thing.

Why is my paste grainy and not smooth?

The chilies were not soaked long enough, or the lemongrass was not sliced thin enough before pounding. Both need to be broken down before they will yield to the mortar. Soak overnight. Slice everything as thin as you can. Pound each ingredient until it is fully incorporated before adding the next.

Can I substitute ginger for galangal?

No. They are related but they are not the same. Ginger is warmer and more familiar. Galangal is sharper, more piney, more medicinal. It is the flavor that makes this taste specifically Thai rather than generically Asian. Find it. Most Asian grocery stores carry it fresh.

How long does homemade Panang curry paste keep?

Two weeks in the refrigerator in a sealed jar with a thin layer of oil over the surface. Up to three months in the freezer portioned into tablespoon amounts. It does not need to thaw before use — it goes straight from frozen into the pan.

My paste smells sharp and almost overwhelming. Is that right?

Yes. Raw curry paste is intense. It is built to be diluted into coconut milk and cooked. What smells sharp in the jar becomes rounded and deep in the pan. Trust the process.

FLAVOR PROFILE

The smell comes first. Before you taste it, before you even open the pan, the paste announces itself. Lemongrass bright and citrusy at the top. Galangal underneath — medicinal, resinous, ancient. The dried chilies a low, dark heat that builds slowly rather than arriving all at once.

Then the peanuts. Not sweet. Dry and roasted and earthy, giving the paste a weight that red curry paste doesn’t have. They round the edges of everything sharp.

The shrimp paste is invisible in the finished thing but you would know immediately if it wasn’t there. It is the salt that goes deeper than salt. The umami that connects everything.

Panang curry paste doesn’t hit hard. It builds. Layer by layer, each ingredient arriving after the last, until the whole thing is present and you understand why your mother spent a morning making it.

Some things cannot be rushed. This is one of them.

SUSIE’S KITCHEN NOTES

Work in order. Hardest ingredients first, softest last. Lemongrass and galangal before the chilies. Chilies before the shallots and garlic. Shallots and garlic before the peanuts. Each ingredient needs to be broken down fully before the next goes in. If you add soft ingredients on top of hard ones that haven’t yielded yet, nothing grinds properly and the paste stays coarse.

The kaffir lime zest is easy to over-add. It is powerful. A little gives the paste lift and brightness. Too much and it dominates. Zest one lime and use half first. Taste. Add the rest only if you feel it needs more.

My mother toasted the shrimp paste wrapped in a banana leaf over the flame. In Florida I wrap it in foil and put it directly on the gas burner for two minutes per side. Both methods drive off the raw fermented smell and leave something deeper and more complex. Do not skip this step. Raw shrimp paste in curry paste is a different and lesser thing.

If your mortar is small, make the paste in two batches and combine them at the end. Overcrowding the mortar means nothing grinds efficiently. Give each ingredient room. The work goes faster than you think when the mortar is not fighting you.

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

Panang curry paste exists for one primary purpose — Panang Curry with Beef or Chicken — and that dish deserves your full attention the first time you use a fresh batch. Beyond the classic curry, this paste works beautifully as a base for Thai Peanut Sauce, stirred into coconut milk with a little palm sugar for a dipping sauce that goes with everything. A small spoonful cooked in oil before adding vegetables transforms a simple stir fry into something that has no business being that good. If you want to understand how this paste sits within the wider family of Thai curry pastes, start with Red Curry Paste and Massaman Curry Paste — three pastes, three different directions, all from the same tradition.

FAQ