Chicken Curry with Bamboo Shoot

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(Photo by blackbodypie/Flickr)

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients

1 kg/2 lb chicken pieces
250 g/8 oz canned bamboo shoot
3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
1 teaspoon dried shrimp paste
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon chilli powder
2 teaspoons salt
400 ml/14 fl oz can coconut milk

Directions

Cut chicken joints into curry pieces, through the bone. Wipe bone ends with damp paper towel to remove any bone chips. Cut bamboo shoot in quarters lengthways (if large) or halves if smaller winter bamboo shoots are used. Slice crossways into thick slices.

Heat oil in a heavy saucepan and cook the onion, garlic and ginger on low heat, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent. Stir in the shrimp paste, coriander, chilli powder and salt, and fry for 2 minutes, stirring. Add chicken pieces and stir to coat with spices, then add two thirds of the can of coconut milk diluted with an equal amount of water. Stir while bringing to the boil, add bamboo slices, then lower heat and simmer, uncovered, until chicken is tender. Stir in remaining undiluted coconut milk. Serve with rice.

Recipe excerpted from Encyclopedia of Asian Food by Charmaine Solomon (Periplus Editions, 1998)