Panang Tacos
February 6, 2015

Panang Tacos
For: 8 People
- Paste
- 1 Tablespoon Cumin
- 1 Tablespoon Coriander
- 1 Tablespoon Chile Flake
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 7 Thai Chiles
- 5 Shallots
- 5 Stalks Lemongrass
- 1 Tablespoon Cilantro Stems
- 5 Cloves Garlic
- 2 Inches Ginger
- 1/4 Cup Peanuts
- Pork
- 5 Pounds Pork
- 3 14 Ounce Cans Coconut Milk
- 3 Chunks Galengal
- 3 Lime Leafs
- 1 Tablespoons Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce
- Salt to taste
- Slaw
- 1 Red Pepper (sliced thin)
- 1 Very Small Head of Red Cabbage (sliced thin)
- 1 English Cucumber (sliced thin)
- 1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Sambal Oelek
- 1 Lime (juice)
- Finish
- Soft Corn Tortillas
- 2 Lime Leaves
- 1 Lime (juice)
Instructions
Make the Paste
- Get all the paste ingredients ready to go, remove the fibrous outer leaves from the lemongrass and set aside. Slice the tender part of the lemongrass. Roughly chop the rest of the paste ingredients. Grind the spices if you are using whole spices.
- I did this in a mortar and pestle but feel free to use a food processor. Just add everything (only the tender parts of the lemongrass) one by one and pound it until it is incorporated into the paste.
Start the pork
- First you need to separate some coconut cream from the coconut milk. In this weather it should be already separated in the can. If you are somewhere warm or keep your house hot you can put the can into the fridge overnight. Anyway, open the cans and you will see the thick white coconut cream floated to the top. Use a spoon to scoop out 1 cup of the cream. Split it into 2 containers and put it into the fridge. Mix the rest of the contents from the 3 coconut milk cans in a large measuring cup or bowl.
- Chop the pork into cubes and brown in a pan on high heat. Once browned remove from the pan. Add in 1/2 of the coconut cream and once it is melted add the curry paste to it. Saute for about 5 minutes stirring constantly. Add the meat back in and the rest of the coconut milk. Add in some of the fibrous lemongrass pieces and the galengal, fish sauce, and sugar.
- Let this simmer for about 3 hours. I did it in a slow cooker for about 4.
Make the slaw
- Mix all the slaw ingredients and refrigerate.
Finish
- Mix the remaining half cup of coconut cream with the lime juice. Remove the chunks of lemongrass and galengal from the pork and shred it. Taste for seasoning and add more salt/sugar/fish sauce as needed. Brown the tortillas in a dry hot pan. Chiffonade the lime leaf. Build your tacos by starting with the pork, then topping with the slaw, followed by some coconut cream and then a pinch of the lime leaf.