Panang Curry

Step 1

PREP: Start by prepping ingredients: dice the red onion, carrot, and bell pepper (by hand or quickly in the food processor). Mince the garlic and ginger. (I peel the ginger with a spoon or vegetable peeler first.) Peel and then chop the sweet potatoes into small bite-sized pieces (1/2-inch in size). No need to peel gold potatoes, but chop them into small pieces (1/2-inch in size). Keep the potato pieces fairly small so they’ll cook at the right time.

Step 2

COOK: Heat 2 tablespoons coconut oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and red pepper and sauté for 7-10 minutes, until onions begin to turn golden. Add the garlic and ginger. Stir to coat everything with the oil. Season to taste with salt. (I add 1 teaspoon fine sea salt.) Lower the heat to medium and add in curry paste. Stir often for 2-3 minutes or until very fragrant. Add in the sweet and gold potatoes and stir to coat for 1 minute.

Step 3

COOK CONT: Pour in the 2 cans of coconut milk. Stir. Scrape the bottom of the pot periodically and press all potatoes below the liquid. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to rapidly simmer (it should be bubbling at the edges but not boiling) for 18-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The potatoes should be fork tender and curry sauce reduced; this happens at around 20-22 minutes for me. Add a splash of vegetable stock/broth or water if the sauce is reducing too quickly and potatoes aren't getting tender. (This also means you may need to lower your heat a little. Alternatively, increase the heat slightly if potatoes aren't getting tender and the sauce isn't reducing.)

Step 4

FINISHING: Turn off the heat and stir in the peas. Add sugar (start with less-- you can always add more), soy sauce, and lime juice to the curry (feel free to adjust these three ingredients to personal preference -- adding more soy sauce for seasoning/umami flavor, more lime for a fresh flavor, and more sugar if it's too spicy). Taste and add more salt if needed-- (I'll typically add another 1/4 up to 1/2 teaspoon) flavors should be vibrant and curries typically need a lot of salt!

Step 5

ENJOY: Remove curry from heat. If desired, serve curry over cooked rice. Garnish individual bowls with basil and coarsely chopped peanuts. I also like to serve lime wedges on the side. Serve over cooked rice with warmed roti bread. Enjoy!