Chicken Thai Green Curry featuring Bamboo Shoots

This is one of my favourite dishes that feature bamboo shoots (and probably one of my favourite dishes in general!). The original recipe comes from www.templeofthai.com, a great source for Thai recipes. On that site, it is made with eggplants, beef and authentic Thai ingredients that might be a little hard to find. My version however calls for chicken, carrots, bean sprouts and a few other alterations. I urge you to turn this recipe into your own original green curry dish. Soon you’ll be able to call it your own secret recipe that friends will be dying to figure out!

You’ll Need:
• 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 3 tbsp green curry paste (make sure you choose the right degree of spiciness)
• 2 1/2 cups coconut milk (I prefer using 1 cup of light coconut milk and 1.5 cups of regular)
• 3/4 cup of carrots, julienned
• 3/4 cup of bean sprouts
• 3/4 cup of canned bamboo shoots
• 2-3 fresh red chilies, sliced diagonally
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/4 cup basil leaves
• 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp palm sugar
• 1 tbsp cooking oil (not olive oil, but corn, safflower or peanut oil)

Preparation:
1. Slice the chicken into cubes, about an inch and a half across
2. Sauté the green curry paste in oil over medium heat until fragrant, reduce the heat, gradually add 1 1/2 cups of the coconut milk a little at a time, stir until a film of green oil surfaces.
3. In another pan, sauté the chicken and limejuice until the chicken is half way cooked through.
4. Transfer to a pot, place over medium heat and cook until boiling. Add the remaining coconut milk, season with palm sugar and fish sauce. When the mixture returns to the boil add the bamboo shoots, bean sprouts and julienned carrots. Cook until the vegetables are done, sprinkle basil leaves and red chillies over, then turn off the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Arrange on a serving dish accompanied with jasmine rice and garnish with sweet basil leaves and red chillies before serving.