Alright, let me tell you about something I got up to recently. It all started when I was cleaning out a kitchen drawer, you know, the one where all the old takeout menus end up? And boom, there it was – a menu for a place called “Krua Thai Cuisine”. I remembered eating there ages ago, really liked their Green Curry.
So, looking at this menu, the description for the Green Curry just jumped out at me. It listed bamboo shoots, bell peppers, basil, coconut milk… the usual suspects. It didn’t give the exact recipe, obviously, but it got me thinking. Could I actually make something like that myself? I’m not a chef, mind you, just someone who likes messing around in the kitchen.
Getting Started
First thing, I properly read that menu description again. Green Curry with Chicken. Okay, needed chicken. Then the veggies: bamboo shoots (canned is fine, right?), bell peppers (red looked good on the menu picture), and Thai basil (this one might be tricky). Coconut milk, obviously. And the key part – green curry paste. I figured I’d buy that, not try to make it from scratch.
So, off to the shops I went.
- Chicken breast
- Green curry paste (found a decent-looking brand)
- Coconut milk (full fat, gotta be creamy)
- Bamboo shoots (sliced, in a can)
- One red bell pepper
- Fish sauce (essential for Thai food, I already had some)
- Sugar (just a touch, usually needed)
- Jasmine rice for serving
Finding the Thai basil was the hardest part. My usual supermarket didn’t have it. Ended up going to a smaller Asian grocery store across town. Found it! Smelled amazing, totally different from regular basil. Totally worth the trip.
The Cooking Part
Back home, I got everything ready. Chopped the chicken, sliced the bell pepper. Opened the bamboo shoots. Got the rice cooking in the rice cooker.
Then, the main event. Heated some oil in a wok. Threw in a couple of spoonfuls of the green curry paste. Stirred it around until it was really fragrant. That smell instantly reminded me of the restaurant. Then, added the chicken pieces, cooked them until they weren’t pink anymore.
Next, poured in the coconut milk. Stirred it all up. Let it bubble gently for a bit. Then added the bamboo shoots and bell peppers. Let those cook for maybe 5-7 minutes? Didn’t want them too mushy. Towards the end, I added a splash of fish sauce and a tiny pinch of sugar to balance things out. Had a little taste. Not bad, maybe needed a bit more paste? Added another small spoonful.
Finally, just before serving, I tossed in a big handful of the Thai basil leaves. Stirred them through just until they wilted. The aroma totally changed, got that real authentic Thai smell.
The Result
Served it over the jasmine rice. Honestly? It looked pretty good! And the taste… it was surprisingly close to what I remembered from the restaurant. Maybe not exactly the same, Krua Thai probably has some secret magic, but it was definitely a proper green curry. Creamy, spicy, fragrant. The chicken was tender, veggies were crisp-tender.
It was actually a fun little project, starting from just looking at that old menu. Made me appreciate the effort that goes into restaurant food, especially finding those specific ingredients like Thai basil. But yeah, felt good making it myself. Definitely doing that again sometime.
