Restaurant of the Month: This by Far is the Best Thai Spot in the Country!
Bangkok Thai Restaurant is a well known establishment in St. Petersburg that specializes in well, cuisines from Thailand and other countries in Asia. Thus, calling it a “hidden gem” would be an insulting understatement if I were to label this restaurant as such. But, for the minority those who have never visited this spot in the heart of downtown’s Central Avenue, this place is the bomb (no pun intended if you order your dish “Thai Hot.”
Whether you are a vegetarian, sushi lover, have a short lunch break or want to impress your significant other with a candle light dinner, you will find that Bangkok will overly satisfy your goals. And most importantly, THIS PLACE CATERS TO US HEALTH AND FITNESS NUTS with their delicious low calorie and fat menu! But, don’t take it from me; check out the video for yourself.
Other than the taste, how their meals compliment my diet and lifestyle and their proximity to the gym, I am also addicted to them based on their professionalism and lack of treating me like “another customer” You must check them out!
After you view the video, I have a challenging Panang recipe for you below that you can prepare after you go to 571 Central Avenue. You can attempt to make it, but I doubt you will duplicate their Panang dish : )
Committed to your fitness and success,
Damon Reio
P.S – I arranged a gift and discount for you there. Go to Bangkok Thai Restaurant and tell them Damon sent you to pick it up with your order. Check out the video for more information.
P.P.S – Post a comment and tell everyone about your experience.
Panang Curry – You’ll Need:
- 2 cups homemade (or 1 can) coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon shredded lime leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon palm sugar
- 2 cups sliced chicken or shrimp
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
The Curry Paste:
- 1/3 cup big dried chilies, soaked until soft with seeds removed
- 1 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons galangal, cut into matchsticks
- 2 tablespoons lemongrass, cut into thin rounds
- 1 tablespoon coriander root
- 1 teaspoon toasted coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons garlic
- 2 tablespoons shallots
- 1 tablespoon roasted peanuts
- 1 teaspoon shrimp paste
Panang Curry (sometimes written Penang Curry) is a dry curry which is fried in coconut milk, and not boiled. Panang uses the thicker part of the milk, or the cream only. It’s typically made with beef, although you can make it with pork or chicken as well. It is usually just meat, and is seasoned with sliced lime leaves and sometimes a few leaves of Thai basil.
Directions:
1.The first step is to make the curry paste. Start by soaking the chilies in water until they’re soft. This could take up to a half hour. When they’re soft, cut them open to remove the guts & seeds.
2.Toast the cumin seeds, cilantro seeds and peanuts separately in a pan over medium heat. Roast each until fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.
3.Grind up the seeds together in a stone mortar & pestle until powdered. Remove and set aside.
4.Add your chilies with the salt to the stone mortar & pestle and pound until a paste. This will take a while — the skins are difficult to mash. Be patient.
5.When your chilies are a uniform paste, add the lemongrass. Pound until a paste. Then add the galangal and coriander roots, and again, smash until paste.
6.Add the peanuts, shallots, garlic and your powdered cumin & cilantro seeds. Mash until paste. Add the shrimp paste and pound to mix well. Set aside.
7.Cut your meat cross-grain into thin slices (about 1.5″ (4cm) long x 1/2″ (1.25cm) tall x 1/8″ (.25cm) thick).
8.Now, on to frying your curry! Heat up your pan first on medium-high heat, then add 1/2 cup of the coconut cream. It should sizzle right away and boil. Add all the paste and mix well.
9.Fry the paste. You want to keep the paste dry, but not too dry that it sticks and burns. Keep adding a little bit of coconut milk when it gets too dry, maybe about 1/4 cup every minute or two. Keep stirring so it doesn’t burn.
10.Keep adding coconut cream about 1/4 cup at a time, every minute or two. You should start to see a lot of oil coming to the top of the curry. This is normal and a sign that you’re doing it right!
11.Your paste should start to smell really good after 4-5 minutes. You’ll start to see a lot of oil rising to the top, especially where it’s bubbling. When it does, add your meat.
12.Cook the meat until cooked, add the lime leaves and palm sugar, then keep going about 3-5 minutes so the meat is soft. The consistency of the curry should be similar to the photo. If it’s too dry, add a bit more of the coconut milk. Remove and serve.
13.Feel free to garnish with shredded lime leaves and a few leaves of Thai basil. Some fancy restaurants serve it like shown with a bit of thickened coconut cream (thickened with a bit of tapioca flour) which you’re welcome to do too!
Note: Panang Curry should be dry and thick like this, and not soupy like red or green curries. While Panang is usually made with meat, some restaurants serve Panang with shrimp. It’s up to you!
If you’d like your Panang curry to be a bit hotter, try adding some small dried chilies in with your paste.
Slicing the meat thin like this allows the meat to get soft and absorb the flavor quicker.
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