Green Curry

Use the prepared green curry paste listed in the ingredients. Fry it in the thick part of the coconut milk until fragrant, stirring so it does not scorch; some stabilized coconut milks will not visibly release oil. For the vegetarian version, choose shrimp-free curry paste and the vegan fish-sauce alternative.

Add the remaining coconut milk, the sliced chicken or tofu, and the torn makrut lime leaves. Simmer gently. If using chicken, cook until its thickest pieces reach 74°C / 165°F on a food thermometer; if using tofu, heat it through without breaking it apart.

Add the quartered Thai eggplant and cook until tender, then add the bamboo shoots and heat through. Season with the fish sauce or vegan alternative and palm sugar, adjusting gradually to the saltiness of the paste. Aim for a savory, aromatic balance rather than pronounced sweetness.

Turn off the heat and stir in the Thai basil and sliced chiles just until the herbs wilt. Remove the whole makrut lime leaves, or warn diners not to eat the fibrous leaves. Serve immediately with the cooked jasmine rice.