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Tag: Celebration
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Puiyin’s Thai Green Curry
According to friends, I tend to make the most delicious Thai green curry. Whether it’s true or not, I have no idea. But they have been asking for the recipe. There are a few ways of making the Thai green curry. With the traditional Thai version, bamboo shoot is put in the curry, which gives it a really strong exotic ‘kick’. The ‘kick’ itself is like a marmite thing. Either you like it or you don’t. As for me, I prefer not to have it as the taste and the smell is quite strong. And with other versions, the sauce is thicker, whereas some have a slightly ‘soupier’ texture. It really depends on how you want the curry and what you want in it, so as long as it tastes like Thai green curry. In this post, I will share with you my version of the curry, also known as PY LAB’s Thai Green Curry, or Puiyin’s green curry amongst my friends.
Get ready onion(s), lemongrass, potatoes and chillies. It’s up to you how much of the ingredients mentioned you want to use. Traditionally, potatoes are not used in the green curry. But because I am a potato freak (I love my potatoes), I always use them in the curry. I have more potatoes in the curry than anything else. I’m not sure if lemongrass is used in the traditional green curry, but I love the ‘kick’ it gives, so I tend to put a lot in. Sometimes I like to use Thai basil as well. 
As far as I know, chicken is the main meat used in the Thai green curry. In Thai restaurants, there are other options such as beef, pork, prawns and vegetables. For me, I always use chicken or king prawns.
Chop the ingredients to your size choice and wash them. It’s best not to chop the potatoes too small as they might break up easily during the boiling process later on. And as for the onions, I tend to chop them in big chunks as I don’t want to ‘cry’. 
Make sure you have the coconut powder and Thai green curry paste. It’s up to you which brand you use, but bear in mind sometimes it does make a difference to which brand you use. One time I used African coconut bar and the entire curry turned out funny. It tasted nothing like Thai green curry. I always use the Maggi coconut powder as I like the brand itself. You can also use the coconut milk. But if so, it’s best to use the Thai brands. 
It’s best to use a pot to cook the curry.
Heat the pot and then add in the oil after it’s hot enough. 
Then add in the onions. You can choose to use red or white onions. 
After the onions are half cooked, add in the chicken.
Cook until the chicken looks cooked enough. 
Then add in some hot water. Just add about no more than 3-4 inch of water level. This is because the more water there is, it’ll be harder to get the curry sauce to become creamy, which is the way I like it. But it’s up to you how much water you want to add in. 
It’s now time to add in the coconut powder. There are two ways of doing it. You can pour some powder in a bowl and add in hot water and then stir it before pouring it into the pot. This way, you can make the coconut powder (into coconut milk) and determine the texture, whether you want it creamy, soupy etc. But it does take time as you would need to repeat the step a few times. Alternatively, my way is to pour in the coconut powder directly into the pot and I will determine the texture as I go along by adding water if needed. Remember to keep stirring if you are choosing to follow my method. 
Now it’s time to add in the chilli paste. It is not cheating to use the ready-made chilli paste. Most Thai restaurants use the ready-made paste as it would take A LOT of time, work and ingredients to make the paste from scratch. Most of the ingredients must be traditionally Thai-based if you were to make the paste from scratch, and as far as I know, it includes fresh basil, cilantro, and coriander, as well as Thai green chillies, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, kaffir lime zest, fish sauce, shrimp paste, cumin and coconut milk. Also, you would need to get the taste and texture of the paste right. So it is not cheating to use the ready-made paste as it saves time. It’s perfectly normal. 
How much of the paste you use is up to you. Obviously the more you put in, the more spicier the curry is going to be. The lighter the ‘green’, the milder it is. And the stronger the ‘green’ the spicier it is. Don’t forget to keep stirring as you put in the paste and keep tasting the sauce with a spoon as you go along. 
For the last part, add in the lemongrass, potatoes and chillies.
Cover the pot with its lid and leave it to boil in medium-low heat for about thirty minutes or so. 
While you are waiting for the curry to boil, you might want to cook some Jasmine rice to eat with the curry. It is usually best eaten with Thai Jasmine rice, which is my choice. But it’s down to you how you would like it eaten. 
Your curry is now ready.
Aroi mak mak!!! (Very delicious in Thai)
Happy Anniversary/Paralympics
It has been 4 years since I started this blog, and back then, it was the London 2012 Paralympics. I can still remember my very first post about the event. I had no idea the kind of support I would receive considering it was only my first post. As I am writing this post, I am watching the Rio 2016 Paralympics live. All the amazing feelings I had felt during the London 2012 Paralympics came rushing back to me. You see, I am a huge supporter of Autism, because my beautiful boy is autistic, and he can do many amazing things. He is a brilliant swimmer. In school, he was amongst a very few who was selected for a swimming competition. He is still young for the competition, but because he is that brilliant, he was selected. You can imagine what a proud momma I am. He is also creative. He loves designing all sorts of designs using the computer and ipad. The designs are all from scratch. I have even decided to make him a published author by publishing all of his designs, and all the royalties will go to him. The publishing company will not keep a single penny. I do have plans for him to join Team GB Paralympics swim team when he is older, but the decision is really down to him.
(Photo credit – Autism Awareness)
I always feel emotional watching the Paralympics, because I feel proud of those athletes. No matter what kind of special needs/disability they have, they still seem to live life to the fullest. To me, they are true heroes. They prove that anyone can do anything. Nothing is impossible. I know there are many people who supports the Paralympics. Unfortunately, my boy has experienced discrimination in the past. But I have been there to stand up for him. I immediately become an aggressive mother when that happens. Can you blame me? I hope people out there will support those with special needs/disability not just during the Paralympics season, but also after that. We have to remember that these amazing human beings are just like everyone else.
I wish those participating in the Paralympics the very best of luck, and don’t forget to have fun.
PY LAB page
I am very proud to present to my fellow bloggers/followers a page dedicated to them for being supportive of me. I remember making a promise once that I would link this blog to my publisher’s website, and here’s my promise. Please do go to the website to check it out. Thank you to you all. You know who you are.
