Thai Green Chicken Curry

I have been on a curry kick lately. However, ordering out conflicts with my plan to pay off my loans by the end of this summer. So off to SF market I go! I can't believe how simple it was. I checked out a couple of recipes online and went with the recipe from Temple of Thai. Here is my modified version of the recipe:
1 can Green Curry paste
2 cans coconut milk
1 fresh bamboo shoot, julienned
5 pieces of chicken tenders, cubed
1 tbsp palm sugar
1/2 bunch of thai basil
4 thai chili peppers
fish sauce to taste
Sautee the paste in a big pot over medium heat until fragrant. Mix in the coconut milk. Add the rest of the ingredients. I prefer my curry to be slightly thicker compared to most restaurants. No soupy curry for me. However, I you like your curry to be thinner you can add a couple tablespoons of chicken broth or water. Add it slowly so that your curry doesn't end up being too thin. I only added enough to keep it at the consistency of spaghetti sauce while it's simmering. Cover with a lid and let simmer until the chicken is cooked and the bamboo shoots become tender. About 20 minutes. Stir occassionally so that the bottom doesn't get scorched. Add fish sauce to taste and serve over rice. I topped mine off with an egg over easy. The runny yolk mixed with this creamy curry just took this meal to a whole other level. The next day for lunch, I added hard boiled eggs instead and it was delish!

Homemade Char Siu Bao

My first attempt at baking char siu bao was quite a success. I have tried and failed at baking with yeast before, so I was expecting my bread to come out flat and hard. I used a recipe from Visual Recipes and it turned out great. My char siu came pretty close to the ones that you can buy from a chinese bbq place. If I had use maltose instead of honey, I bet it would have been even better. I had alot of leftover char siu and filling. I stored them in the freezer for the next time around.
I sprinkled baking powder into the dough as I was kneading it for the last time and I think that helped make the bun even fluffier. I reheated some of these babies up for breakfast the next day. 20 minutes seconds in the microwave and the buns were still soft and fluffy.

Steamed Pork Patty w/ Shrimp Paste

I was watching a Hong Kong drama in which one of the characters referenced this homestyle dish: Haw Jurng Jing Yok Bang, or Steamed Pork Pattie w/ Shrimp Paste. Here is a little excerpt from the scene:
Husband was in an accident which left him crippled. He is majorly depressed after he got out of the hospital. Wife decides to make Husband's special dish for him to cheer him up. Husband's Brother came over for dinner and was praising her cooking skills. Wife says that the Steamed Pork Pattie w/ Shrimp Paste is Husband's fave. She even made a special trip to go buy the shrimp past because they had run out. Husband says that this dish is so good that he'd have to have at least 3 bowls of rice to go with it.
I didn't even pay attention to the rest of that episode. I was obsessed with trying out that dish. I mean, three bowls of rice? It's gotta be good. The only problem is that I couldn't find any recipes online and you can bet that this isn't something you can find on any menu. I can't read Chinese, so if anyone knows of a place that has this dish on their "secret" Chinese menu, please let me know.
Do I give up? My obsession mind would not allow it. So I made up my own recipe. Most homestyle Chinese dishes are pretty basic and true to their namesakes. Here it is:
Steamed Pork Patty with Shrimp Paste
1 lb ground pork
1/2 tbsp shrimp paste
1/2 tsp sugar
1 stalk green onions/scallions, minced (green parts only)
Mix all ingredients together really well. Form patties and place into a wide bowl for steaming. Set bowl in a pot of water that just reaches the bowl's half way point. Cover and steam for about 20 minutes after the water starts boiling or until the meat is no longer pink, depending on how thick your meat patties are. Serve over rice.
I started my rice just before I prepared the pork patties and I cursed my rice cooker for not working faster.
I had this meal with a side of steamed bok choy w/ oyster sauce. I poured some of the jus from the pork patties over my rice. It was delicious. I too had three bowls of rice.