PENANG COCONUT CURRY

Origin & Special Features

One day in the late 1990s, at the Spice Shop in London, one of our employees, originally from Southeast Asia, took some kaffir lime leaves home after the shop closed. Inspired by the flavors of her childhood, she prepared a simple curry with coconut milk, galangal, fresh spices, and the leaves she had previously saved from the shop.

The next day, she brought a portion to work. When Birgit Erath tasted it, she was immediately electrified – warm, round, aromatic, and full of depth. This experience laid the foundation for our Panang Coconut Curry spice mix – a homage to traditional Southeast Asian cuisine, refined by the curiosity and creativity of our spice family. Panang Curry (or Phanaeng ) is a famous dish from Thailand with influences from Malaysian cuisine. It originated in the Penang region of northern Malaysia, but has established itself as a distinct variant in Thai cuisine – hence the name.

Panang curry is characterized by its thicker consistency, mild flavor, and the use of coconut milk, lime leaves, and peanuts or cashews. Compared to Thai red curries, it is less spicy but has a more intense and rounded flavor—ideal for creamy comfort foods.

Taste & Aroma

This blend brings a perfect balance of nutty warmth and fresh exoticism. The combination of coconut, galangal, turmeric, and cinnamon creates a full-bodied, mild flavor that pairs perfectly with meat, fish, or vegetables. The lime leaves and mango powder provide a fruity, citrusy counterpoint that brings the dish to life.

Application

Ideal for chicken, tofu or root vegetables.
Sauté 4 chicken pieces with shallots, garlic, galangal, and ginger. Mix 3 teaspoons of the spice mix with a can of coconut milk and pour it over the meat. Refine with 2 tablespoons of fish sauce or a stock cube. Simmer for 20 minutes, sprinkle with fresh coriander and toasted nuts—you've got a truly comforting dish.

Health benefits

This blend contains anti-inflammatory and digestive spices like turmeric, galangal, and ginger. Coconut provides healthy fats and supports the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Coriander leaves and lime leaves refresh and stimulate the metabolism, while cinnamon and cardamom have a warming and balancing effect.

Ingredients

Fennel, cloves, pepper, star anise, cardamom, cumin, coriander, Ceylon cinnamon, mustard seeds, coconut, galangal, ginger, paprika, turmeric, coriander leaves, lime leaves, mango powder, onions, mace.