Thai Pheasant Panang Curry – Spice things up this Great British Game Week

We are currently in Great British Game Week 2024, and to celebrate it I rustled up an aromatic, spicy and moreish curry in the Thai panang style with some pheasant from the weekend.  

The birds flew well on Saturday in the steep downland of the Cranborne Chase AONB, and the Eley VIP steel cartridges I was using in my trusty old AYA boxlock performed laudably well. With three brace in the boot at the end of the weekend, I set to preparing some for roasting and butchering the rest into breasts and legs as soon as I got home on Sunday. This recipe works very well with pheasant breast, but would work with pheasant leg meat, meat from another game bird, or venison equally well. 

As this week is Great British Game Week, why not excavate the game larder, fridge or freezer and prepare a delicious game dish for yourself and your friends in the remaining days of the week. Even better if you can introduce game to someone who’s not been lucky enough to have tried it before. We should all know the message by now, game is not only delicious, but also healthy and good for the environment, the more we eat of it, the better. Here’s a recipe if you’re looking for inspiration:

Quick and easy Thai Pheasant Panang Curry, with aromatic rice

Serves 4 

Ingredients:

• 500g of pheasant breast, cut into strips 
• 1 can of coconut milk 
• 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste 
• 2 tbsp peanut butter (smooth or chunky) 
• 3 red chillies (dried or fresh, seeds in or removed to personal taste) 
• 2 cloves garlic 
• Handful of fresh coriander 
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil 
• 4 makrut lime leaves 
• 1 tbsp fish sauce 
• 1 tbsp ketjap manis (or soy sauce as a substitute) 
• 1 tbsp sugar 
• 1 lime 
• 200g basmati rice 
• Seasonal vegetables 

Method:

1. If using dried chillies, rehydrate these in hot water prior to cooking.
2. In a food processor, combine the Thai red curry paste, peanut butter, chillies, garlic, half the coriander (stems included), and a couple of tablespoons of the coconut milk, into a reasonably smooth paste.
3. Prepare the rice and vegetables to cook concurrently with the curry. Add 1 makrut lime leaf to the rice cooking water to give it an aromatic edge.
4. In a pan, heat the vegetable oil then add the combined curry paste. Cook this for a couple of minutes, being careful not to let it catch on the bottom of the pan. 
5. Add the remainder of the coconut milk and three of the makrut lime leaves. Let simmer for a few minutes until the coconut milk begins to release some of its oil.
6. Add the pheasant breast and let simmer for a few minutes until the meat is just cooked through. 
7. Add the fish sauce, the ketjap manis and the sugar, and stir together. 
8. Serve with rice and vegetables, garnished with the remaining fresh coriander and a wedge of lime to squeeze on top. 
9. Share and enjoy!