Unlocking Your Inner Chef: Panang Curry & Coconut Soup.

Cooking Made Simple

I loved traveling to Singapore, Krabi, Chiang Mai, and Bangkok because not only did I have incredible experience, I also tasted some of the most delicious food I have ever had in my life! 

My partner and I ended up partaking in a four hour cooking class in Chiang Mai, and we made a variety of dishes that were quick to make and made our mouths water because everything was so flavorful. (Khao Soi, the variety of soups and mango sticky rice were some of my favorites!)

I loved how their whole cooking philosophy is having dishes be quick because it’s already hot there, so they don’t want extra heat lingering in the home. 

… talk about a full body heck YES! Who doesn’t love when a recipe is both quick and delicious?

I had always wanted to make a Thai dish that we had made while we were there, but honestly going outside of my comfort zone for cooking has been challenging for me. I have my pescatarian staples that I make, and I enjoy knowing the flow of a recipe front to back.

However, I made the intention that in 2024, I would expand my horizons to get out of my comfort zone while cooking. I set the intention crystal clear of the new moon portal on 1/11 and I was gifted with an abundance of energy to go out to several markets in San Diego to find my specific ingredients for the recipes that I was making! 

You’ll need to go to an international market, as several of the ingredients are not found in Western food stores. (If you’re in San Diego, I highly recommend going to Muang Lao Market #1 — I found everything I needed there! Make sure you bring cash. I ended up going next store to get a papaya salad for dinner too… pro tip, don’t ask for spicy unless you love crying while your mouth is burning.)

To my surprise, everything for Panang Curry and Tom Ka Kai (Tofu in coconut milk soup) was very straight forward — prep, cook, eat.

In my OCD nature, I prepped every little thing — placed them in individual bowls and then lined the counter in order of how the recipe flowed, so when it became time to cook I would be in full flow state! I cut everything from the Panang Curry ingredient list, then I prepped the rice to go in the pressure cooker, & lastly I prepped the ingredients for Tom Ka Kai.

When I was ready to start cooking, I first started making the rice in the pressure cooker. Then, I simultaneously made the Panang Curry while also making the Tom Ka Kai (super easy since I had everything lined up — 10/10 recommend)!

Enjoy making this delicious dinner!! I’m already so excited to not only make this again, but to try out a different soup and make Khao Soi! Below are the ingredients & instructions from the delicious dinner I made!

Recipes

Panang Curry

Ingredients

• 1 TBS oil

• 2 TBS Panang curry paste (usually this is cheaper if you find this in store)

• 1 block of firm tofu, pressed, drained & cubed (this tofu press is helpful to have) — can use 1/2 of block for this and other 1/2 for soup

• 1 small onion, sliced

• 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced

• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

• 2 tsps freshly grated ginger

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 14 oz cans coconut milk (Chaokoh is the best! If not accessible, you can find Thai Kitchen in Western stores & it is pretty good!)

• 2 tsp cornstarch

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

• 1 TBS fish sauce

• 1 TBS lime juice

• 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves, roughly chopped

• Hot cooked jasmine rice

• 1 handful off Kaffir lime leaves (make sure to rip them to help release flavor!)

Instructions

1. Heat oil over medium heat in a large wok or pan. Sauté onions for 2 minutes, then add bell peppers, garlic and ginger. Sauté for 2 more minutes.

2. Add curry paste and sauté for 1 minute. Add 1 1/2 cans of coconut milk. Whisk 2 tsp cornstarch into remaining 1/2 can coconut milk, then add to pan. Stir well.

3. Add (1/2 of the block) cubed tofu, stirring to coat.

4. Stir in sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, basil, and kaffir lime leaves. Season with a tiny bit of salt and pepper to taste.

5. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Jasmine Rice

Ingredients

• 2 cups of Jasmine rice, rinsed and drained

• 2 1/2 cups of water

Instructions

1. Place rice and water in pressure cooker.

2. Turn on pressure cooker (make sure pressure cooker knob is to sealed), and set for 3 minutes. (takes about 14 minutes)

3. Once the “3 minutes” is up, set a timer for 10 minutes. (this helps the rice continue to cook!)

4. After 10 minutes, release the knob to “vent,” open up the pressure cooker (steam will be coming out). Use a fork and gently mix the rice around to help fluff.

Tom Ka Kai

Ingredients

• Coconut milk: 14 oz can + 14 oz water

• 1/2 block of tofu, drained & cubed

• 1 stalk of lemongrass, diagonally cut into small slices

• 5 pieces of galangal, sliced (watch how to cut galangal)

• 1 handful of Kaffir lime leaves

• 1-5 chilies, sliced (I used 4, and it was a good spicy level. Use less if you don’t love spicy.)

• 1/2 onion, sliced large

• 1 handful mushrooms (oyster mushroom; make small or straw mushroom)

• 1 TBS fish sauce

• 1/2 tsp sugar

• 1 TBS lime juice

• 1 TBS spring onion and cilantro (roughly chopped)

Instructions

1. Place the coconut milk & water in a large pot over medium heat.

2. Add lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, chilies, and onion until it smells fragrant.

3. Add tofu, stir.

4. Add mushroom, fish sauce, and sugar.

5. Simmer for 5-10 minutes

6. Remove from heat and then squeeze lime