• Reduce ¾ cup coconut milk until thick and coconut oil starts to separate from the coconut milk (if the oil doesn’t separate after it has reduced until very thick, it's okay, just proceed with the recipe).
  1¾ cups coconut milk
• Add the curry paste and sauté, stirring constantly over medium heat for about 2 minutes until aromatic. If paste sticks to the bottom of the pan, you can deglaze with a little bit of the remaining coconut milk. 
  3 ½ Tablespoons green curry paste
• Add chicken thigh and stir to mix with the paste. (Continue with instructions below if using chicken breast).
  1 lb chicken thigh
• Add the chicken stock, remaining 1 cup of coconut milk, palm sugar and 1 Tablespoon of the fish sauce. Grab the makrut lime leaves and twist them to bruise and release aroma, then tear them into chunks and add them to the pot, discarding the center stems. Bring to a simmer and let simmer gently for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is fork tender.

  *The lime leaves are for infusion only and not meant to be eaten when left in large pieces. They are traditionally left in the curry, but be sure to inform your guests not to eat them.
  1 cup chicken stock, 2 Tablespoons finely chopped palm sugar, 1 ½ - 2 Tablespoons fish sauce, 4 makrut lime leaves
• Once the curry is done simmering, add bamboo shoots and bring to a boil. If you prefer your peppers to be more cooked, add them at this stage. Once boiling, remove from heat.
  1 550-ml can bamboo shoots strips, ¼ red bell pepper
• Taste and add more fish sauce and/or sugar as needed.

  *If you feel that the curry is weak and needs more curry paste, saute the additional curry paste in some oil in a small pot for a few minutes until aromatic, then add about a cup of the curry sauce to dissolve the paste and let it simmer for a few minutes, then stir it back into the curry. 
• Add Thai basil and spur chilies or bell peppers and stir just until the basil is wilted. Serve with jasmine rice
  1 cup Thai basil leaves, Jasmine rice for serving

If using chicken breast:

• After sautéing the curry paste, add makrut lime leaves, coconut milk, chicken stock, palm sugar and 1 tablespoon fish sauce; bring to a simmer and let simmer for about 5 minutes.

  *The lime leaves are for infusion only and not meant to be eaten when left in large pieces. They are traditionally left in the curry, but be sure to inform your guests not to eat them.
• Bring the curry sauce to a boil, then add the marinated chicken breast and cook until chicken is about 70% done, 1-2 minutes. Add the bamboo shoots and bring to a boil. If you prefer your peppers to be more cooked, add them at this stage. Once boiling, remove from heat.
• Taste and add more fish sauce and/or sugar as needed.

  *If you feel that the curry is weak and needs more curry paste, saute the additional curry paste in some oil in a small pot for a few minutes until aromatic, then add about a cup of the curry sauce to dissolve the paste and let it simmer for a few minutes, then stir it back into the curry. 
• Stir in Thai basil and spur chilies or bell peppers. Serve with jasmine rice.

For the Curry Paste

• Toast cumin seeds by adding them to a dry sauté pan and stir constantly over medium-high heat until the seeds are aromatic and slightly darkened, about 4 minutes. Cool on a plate. Repeat with the coriander seeds.
  1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• Using a mortar and pestle, grind toasted coriander seeds, toasted cumin seeds, and white peppercorns into a fine powder. Remove from mortar and set aside.
  ½ teaspoon white peppercorns
• Cut at least 8 green Thai chilies in half horizontally and, with a paring knife, scrape off and discard the seeds and pith, then finely chop along with the remaining chilies.

  Note: The seeds and pith are removed from some of the chilies to tone down the heat, you can remove seeds from all of the green chilies if you wish to tone it down even more
  15 green Thai chilies
• Add chopped chilies and salt to a heavy-duty mortar and pestle; pound into a fine paste. If the mixture feels too wet at any point, add some of the ground spices to absorb the liquid.
  1 teaspoon coarse salt
• Add basil leaves; pound into a fine paste.
  15 Thai basil leaves
• Add lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime zest, and cilantro roots; pound into a fine paste.
  3 Tablespoons thinly sliced lemongrass, 1 Tablespoon finely chopped galangal, 2 teaspoons makrut lime zest, 2 cilantro roots or 4 big cilantro stems
• Add shallots, garlic, and any remaining ground spices; pound into a fine paste.
  3 Tablespoons finely chopped shallots, 2 Tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• Add shrimp paste and pound to mix.
  1 teaspoon fermented shrimp paste (gapi)