Panang beef curry (Phanaeng nuea)

1. Cut the beef sirloin across the grain into thin slices of 3-4 mm; toast the peanuts and crush them coarsely in a mortar.

2. Cut half of the lime leaves, without their central vein, into hair-thin strips for garnish.

3. Heat a little oil in a wok, bring 5-6 tablespoons of the thick part of the coconut milk to the boil, then add the red curry paste and two thirds of the crushed peanuts and fry, stirring, for 2 minutes.

4. Pour in most of the coconut milk, add the whole lime leaves and boil until thick; season with the fish sauce and sugar.

5. Add the beef slices and cook for just 2-3 minutes until they are barely done – panang has a thicker sauce than other curries.

6. To serve, drizzle the remaining coconut milk on top and sprinkle with the lime strips and the rest of the peanuts; serve with jasmine rice.

Tip: Panang is the thick, creamy, nutty Thai curry; because the meat is cooked so briefly, tender cuts (sirloin, fillet) suit it best. If you want to speed it up, 1 tablespoon of smooth peanut butter can replace the crushed peanuts.