Gaeng bawt with chicken

Ingredients
•    (2½ C) water (or more for a thinner dish) 
•    (1 t) salt 
•    (3 pieces) chilli wood (mai sakahn), half a thumblength (or substitute 1 green chilli and ½ teaspoon of black peppercorns) 
•    (2 T) oil
•    (2 T )garlic, chopped
•    (½ C) chicken or duck on the bone, cut soupsize, 2 cm (1 in) 
•    (2 stalks) lemongrass, white only and bruised to release flavor
•    1 chilli (or more to taste) 
•    (3 small) green apple eggplants, cut in eighths 
•    (½ C) rattan pieces (or use pumpkin, squash, gourd, baby sweet corn or tinned rattan, soaked and drained)
•    (¼ C) gadawm gourd (optional; or any other gourd or squash) 
•    (4 leaves) sawtooth herb 
•    (3 stems) dill, cut into 4 cm (1½ in) pieces
•    (2 stems) basil (pak i tou Lao), cut into 4 cm (1½ in) pieces
•    (2 small) long beans, cut into 4 cm (1½ in) pieces 
•    (3 T) roasted rice powder
•    (2 T) thin soy sauce
Serves two to four as part of a Lao meal. 

Method
1. Put the water in a small pot, add ½ teaspoon of salt and bring to the boil
2. In a wok, put 2 tablespoons of oil. Heat and add 2 tablespoons of chopped garlic. Stir fry briefly. Add the chicken pieces, lemongrass, the chilli and ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir fry until the colour of the meat has changed. Transfer this mixture to the boiling water. Simmer. 
3. After 5 minutes, add the eggplant. Simmer for 10 – 15 minutes, and then add the rattan (or substitute). Simmer 5 minutes more until cooked.
 4. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of roasted rice powder over the gaeng. Mix in smoothly. Add the long beans and herbs; simmer for a further 5 minutes. Finish with 2 tablespoons of thin soy sauce. Stir, taste and add more soy sauce or salt if needed. 5. Transfer to a serving bowl. 

Variations
 •  Try using tofu or pork instead of chicken

Most of information come from Food from Northern Laos (The Boat Landing Cook Book)