Panang Curry's Unlikely Origin: From Grilled Chicken Recipe!

Panang curry is one of Thailand's most beloved dishes, famous for its rich, creamy texture and nutty, spiced flavor profile. But the Panang curry we enjoy today has a surprisingly complex history, evolving from a grilled chicken dish with cross-cultural influences into the thick coconut curry known around the world.

Etymology: Where Does the Name "Panang" Come From?

The exact origin of the word "Panang" is still debated among food historians and linguists, with several compelling theories:

• The Malaysian Connection: Some food historians, such as David Thompson, suggest that the name derives from the island of Penang off the west coast of Malaysia [4]. Another Malay origin theory points to the word "panggang," which translates to roasting or grilling over a fire. This aligns with how the dish was originally prepared in the past [2]. Some also speculate that it is related in its origin to Malaysian Rendang curry, which is also a braised-style curry [3].

• The Khmer Connection: A widely accepted theory in Thailand traces the word to the Khmer language. In Khmer, "phanaeng" (พะแนง) means to sit cross-legged or to cross one's legs. Historically, the dish "Kai Phanaeng" (Panang Chicken) was prepared by crossing the chicken's legs, clamping it onto a bamboo skewer, and grilling it [2].

From a Grilled Dish to a Creamy Curry

If you order Panang today, you will receive a rich, thick coconut curry. However, it did not start out that way. Historically, Panang was a grilling technique rather than a wet curry.

According to Mom Somjeen's Tamra Arhaan (ตำราอาหารของหม่อมซ่มจีน), a famous Thai cookbook published in 1890 during the reign of King Rama V, "Kai Phanaeng" was prepared by basting a whole chicken with curry paste and coconut milk, then roasting it over a fire [2, 3].

Former Thai Prime Minister and historian M.R. Kukrit Pramoj once hypothesized that because this grilling method was incredibly time-consuming and inconvenient, cooks eventually adapted the recipe. They began chopping the meat into smaller pieces and stir-frying or simmering it with the curry paste and coconut milk in a pan, giving birth to the modern "wet" Panang curry we know today [2, 3].

The Muslim Culinary Influence

While Panang is a staple of Central Thai cuisine, its flavor profile tells a story of cross-cultural exchange. Food experts generally agree that Panang, much like Massaman curry, was heavily influenced by Muslim, Persian, Indian, and Malay culinary traditions [3].

Traditional Thai curries rely heavily on fresh herbs like lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves. Panang paste, however, incorporates dry, warm spices such as roasted cumin and coriander seeds. Furthermore, the inclusion of crushed roasted peanuts points to Middle Eastern and Indian dishes like Korma, which were adapted to suit local Thai palates by mellowing the pungent spices [3].

The Earliest Written Records

Recent discoveries have pushed the recorded history of Panang back even further. In 2023, a researcher examining a Samut Thai (a traditional Thai folding book) from the reign of King Rama III (around 1848) found a recipe labeled "Phra-nan" (พระนัน) on the very last page [1, 2].

Source: https://www.silpa-mag.com/culture/article_128712

This early version of Panang was quite different from today's iteration. It was a sweet-tasting, meatless curry broth made with a paste of chili, ginger, coriander seeds, cumin, garlic, tamarind juice, fish sauce, palm sugar, and peanuts [2]. This fascinating find highlights how recipes continuously evolve across generations.

References

1. Silpa-Mag. "พบสูตรอาหารโบราณ แกงบวน-แกงพะแนง หน้าสุดท้ายสมุดไทยต้นรัชสมัยพระจอมเกล้าฯ." Retrieved from https://www.silpa-mag.com/culture/article_128712

2. Wikipedia (Thai). "พะแนง." Retrieved from https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%B0%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%87

3. Krua.co. "พะแนงเนื้อ มาจากไหน." Retrieved from https://krua.co/food_story/origin-of-paneang

4. Susie Cooks Thai. "Panang Curry Recipe (Gaeng Panang)." Retrieved from https://susiecooksthai.com/panang-curry-recipe/