Thai Panang Curry with Beef

One of my favorite Thai curries has to be panang because it's meaty, nutty and not as soupy like most other curries such as green curry.  This dish has less coconut milk and it taste the best with a type of red meat like beef or pork.  Of course, you can use chicken or even shrimp.  I like it with peas, though authentic Thai recipes don't really add any vegetables and they definitely do not add bell peppers like a lot of Thai restaurants do here.  If you can get your hands on some sticky rice, it accompanies my panang very well!

Ingredients:

1 can coconut milk
1lb (approx) beef (or pork) sliced into strips.  Any cut of beef with some fat marblization (is this a word?) is best.
2 tbs panang curry paste
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1 tbs olive oil
1-2 kaffir lime leaves (if you cn get it)
1 tsp fish sauce (or to taste)
1/2 to 1 tsp sugar
water

1.  In a medium sized pot, fill the pot about half way with water and bring to a boil.  Add the sliced beef, make sure beef is submerged.  Cook the beef for about 5-8 minutes then drain.  This is to make sure the beef fat and blood  are cooked out and will not coagulate in the sauce.
2.  In a deep, clean pan or wok, heat 1 tbs olive oil and add curry paste after it is hot.  Watch out for oil splattering. 
3.  After 1 min,  slowly stir in coconut milk and stir until paste has dissolved.
4.  After it simmers, add lime leaves, fish sauce and sugar, taste and add more paste if you want it spicier.
5.  Add beef  and let it simmer for about 15 minutes until sauce has thickened  some.  Panang is supposed to be somewhat dry, but you may need to add about 1/2 can water so you can have some curry sauce so it's not too dry to eat with rice.
6.  Taste the beef to see if it is soft enough.  Once almost done, add peas and simmer a few more minutes.
7.  Serve with Jasmine rice.