Ingredients

• 3 cups coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste
• 1 teaspoon shrimp paste
• ½ pound skinned, boned chicken thighs thinly sliced
• 1 cup bamboo shoots cut into thin strips
• 5 wild lime leaves or fresh lime or lemon leaves
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
• Rice
• Lime leaves and 3 to 5 small red Thai chilies for garnish

Instructions

1. Bring one cup of the coconut milk to a boil in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Add curry paste and shrimp paste and stir until smooth and well blended. This will take about 2 minutes.
2. Add chicken and stir to coat with the curry sauce. Increase heat and simmer until meat is tender which will be about 5 minutes.
3. Mix remaining two cups coconut milk, bamboo shoots, three of the crushed lime leaves, fish sauce and sugar. Bring to a boil
4. Serve with rice.

Comments: Try this recipe with beef instead of chicken. Substitute 1/2 pound flank steak, thinly sliced in 1 ½ inch long strips for chicken. Also try winter squash or sweet potato instead of bamboo. Like most stews, curries are delicious made in advance and reheated before serving.