A simple curry dish

I still remember my first trip to Thailand thirty years ago as if it were yesterday. With the night train from Bangkok to Chiangmai where you arrived in the early morning. The computer age was still in its infancy and concepts such as email were still unknown, not to mention hotel booking sites.

On arrival in the early morning you will find the necessary persons on the arrival platform who try to seduce you by means of photos to go with them to the hotel offered. So happened.

Over the years I have come to know Chiangmai well and it still remains one of the most charming cities in the country for me.

On one of the walks through town, I saw a placard announcing a Thai cooking course. As a hobby cook and member of a culinary cooking club, my interest was quickly aroused and I signed up to be part of the party for a whole day. It all started very early in the morning with a visit to the market to buy the ingredients together with our teacher. One of the most important tasks to master in Thai cooking is to make a curry, at least according to the Chef's words.

Have to admit that after so many years I can't remember what it took to produce a nice curry. Nor do I remember what we ate at the time.

Over the years I have walked through many markets in the country and often saw the large pots of homemade curry that skilled, mostly older Thai ladies offered for sale.

The Anusarn market in the heart of Chiangmai became my favorite at the time, where I have feasted on crab, lobster and delicious fresh fish many times. Nevertheless, in my opinion, the old atmosphere has disappeared there in recent years and commerce has gained the upper hand.

I once proudly told a Belgian who had a Thai wife and who I had gotten to know better that I had once learned how to make curry. Immediately adding that I had completely forgotten about it. "If you're here tomorrow I'll bring my wife and she'll teach you right away." Appointment made. And the next day that Ollander couldn't believe his eyes. His wife handed me a bag of curry and a can of coconut milk and told me how to make a dish quickly and easily.

Now so many years later I often think back to it and I still regularly make an easy Thai dish at home that even the most inexperienced man or woman can conjure up in no time.

Go explain

Ingredients: can or cardboard pack of coconut milk, jar or plastic bag of yellow, green or red curry, 400 grams of diced chicken, (for 2 people) bag of oriental wok vegetables. Black rice.

Wok pan: add a dash of coconut milk and heat. Add a scoop of curry and stir. Continue to add the coconut milk and curry until the desired amount and thickness is achieved. Add the chicken cubes and let it cook well.

Transfer it all to a bowl. Now use the wok again and add very little oil and then the wok vegetables.

Take a large plate and arrange the chicken curry and vegetables on it. Press the cooked rice into a small cup and invert onto the plate. Enjoy your meal !

All ingredients are now available in all supermarkets.