Last year, when Otis and I were in DC, we discovered this awesome Thai restaurant that served the most amazing Thai either of us had ever had. It was so good in fact, that we went back more than once while we were there. One of the dishes that stood out above the others was the Panang Curry. Since then I have been on a quest to find Panang Curry that could hold a candle to what I had at that restaurant. I've yet to find a restaurant that lives up to my expectations, but I have discovered a recipe and Panang Curry paste that seems to run a close second. If you've never had Panang Curry but are always up for a culinary exploit, I encourage you to try this recipe.

1-1.5 lbs chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
1 8oz. can coconut milk
2-3 tbsp. panang curry paste (I purchase mine from the MT Supermarket on N Lamar - Nampick Mae Anong in the bright purple package).
2 tbsp. fish sauce
2 tbsp. sugar
vegetables (I use red and green bell peppers and Thai eggplants)
1/2 cup fresh basil (Thai or regular)

Cook the chicken in a medium sized pan or wok until mostly done. Remove from pan and drain excess juices. Put 4 tbsp coconut milk in pan and bring to boil. Add 2-3 tbsp curry paste, add chicken back to pan, stir, and cook until chicken is cooked thoroughly. Add 1/2 of remaining coconut milk, fish sauce, and sugar. Bring to slight boil and let coconut milk thicken. Add vegetables and rest of coconut milk. Stir, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Serve over rice or alone as a soup. Otis and I really enjoy it over rice. One tip for eating - don't feel like you need to use chopsticks. It's virtually impossible to eat with chopsticks, and Thai people actually eat with forks.

If you give this a try, let me know if you like it. It's one of our favorite dishes to make at home, and it's very economical. We served 8 people with this meal for about $10. The curry paste is $2.50 per package, and you can get at least 3 separate meals out of one package. And of course, you can save money/ adhere to your moral convictions by making it vegetarian.