If your curry was too bland, perhaps you were using canned coconut milk? That is very thick, much thicker than fresh. I think if you tried diluting it with water next time (ie: not using so much coconut milk) it would be stronger flavored. If I used canned, I tend to use about 1/2 can for a pot which serves 2-3.

I have traveled several times to the border of Thailand and Burma, and have eaten the most amazing panang at a restaurant called Aiya’s in Mae Sot. No panang has ever compared to the quality of ingredients and the taste of the freshly made panang from Aiya’s.

Every time I visit a Thai restaurant in the United States, from Hawaii to New York (I live in Los Angeles), my heart says, “Try the panang,” while my mind says, “try something else.” I inevitably try the panang with the faint hope that someone will make it fresh and as delicious as Aiya’s. I am always disappointed however, as most make their curry from pre-made paste from a tub – even in Thai Town!

Having taken such a long time already, I’ll get to my point. Your recipe hit it almost dead on. The taste, texture, aroma, all come so close to Aiya’s. I’ve now made your recipe twice, and am so amazed!

Congratulations. I owe you a prize, but until that prize comes, I promise to try out your other recipes, one by one.

Sorry, this response is just about a year too late, but I hope you still look at this page from time to time. I recently had amazing panang braised short ribs at Nan restaurant in Atlanta and have been itching to reconstruct the dish ever since. Tomorrow is the day! I’ve been working with coconut milk a lot lately, particularly in my slow cooker, and I’ve found that I have no problems with separation as long as I don’t let it get hotter than a gentle simmer. Also, just for convenience’s sake, this time I’m going to use a storebought spice paste–I have a tin each of Maesri and Mae Ploy’s version, and I’ll just do a taste test to choose.

My plan is to first pan sear the short ribs (salted) in chili-lemongrass oil that I’ll whip up. Then, in the same pan, I’ll fry the spice paste in the coconut milk as described in this recipe, adding the fish sauce, lime leaves, and palm sugar once it’s cooled. I will add the curry to the ribs and then throw it all in the slow cooker, set on low. I think this will turn out just right. Since I love fish sauce, I’ll add another dash just before I take the meat out of the cooker. And I’ll squeeze some lime juice over them once they’re off the heat, just to give them a cool, sour edge, and serve them with thai basil, plain white rice, flatbreads (I buy frozen parathas at the South Asian grocer–they’re pretty much exactly the same as roti canai), and chilled ahjaad–an absolutely delightful and simple cucmber salad.

As far as coconut is concerned, coconut milk is about twice as dilute as cream. Since my curry is going to have tons of time to reduce (leaving the lid off the cooker for the last hour of cooking is unkosher, but it works for me) I’m not going to mess with cream.

Alice–

Try the Buford Farmers Market right at the intersection of 85 N and 285. They have everything!

Good luck to everyone!