Green curry

Prepare

1. Potatoes peel skin and cut      into bite-sized pieces

2. mince shallot

3. Pick only Thai basil leaves,      washed, pounded into paste (for extra green color)

4. bamboo shoots slice 0.3-0.5      in (1-1.5cm) to bite size (choose poached/boiled/prepared bamboo shoot. If      not, you need to prepare them by cooking them in boiling water for at least 2 or more time to get      rid of smell and any impurities)

Making

1. Turn on the stove on medium high heat, put 2/3 part (1 cup) of the coconut milk in the pot (use dense coconut milk part for its fat)

2. When coconut fat melted, add the pounded basil leaves and 2 tbsp curry paste. Stir them to mix and let coconut milk boil and thicken (about 3 minutes), then add the minced shallot and prepared bamboo shoots

3. Pour remaining coconut milk (0.5 cup) in the pot

4. Add 1/2 tsp of sugar (optional, up to your taste)

5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes

6. After 10 minutes, add prepared potatoes into the pot. Continue to simmer for additional 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are soft to your liking. Then the dish is done, serve hot with rice.

Note

• You can put the coconut milk in the refrigerator in advance or overnight, the coconut milk fat will float to the surface, use that part at first cooking part, the pour rest in the second part.

• Bamboo shoots are very suitable for spicy dishes and neutralize the spiciness. So if you do not use bamboo shoots in this recipe, you will find that with the recommended sauce, the taste may be more spicy than when cooked with bamboo shoots. So I highly recommend using bamboo shoots when cooking this dish. If bamboo shoot is not available at your place you may probably want to adjust spiciness but not its green color. Best way to do it is reduce the curry paste and add more pounded basil to harmonize the taste and green color of this curry.

• You can substitute thai basil to cilantro/coriander if not available or Thai basil is too strong. However to my taste, it's the best suit, second best would be normal basil.