Jumpy Chicken Curry (by G)

The train from Yangon to Bagan is, to say the least, a jumpy old beast.  At about 7:30 pm I was beginning to console myself to the fact that I may be having some sad looking bread-rolls I'd brought with me for dinner but - just in time - we pulled up at a station. The French couple I was sharing a cabin with were on the ball - she shouted at a guy selling water. 'We need food, something with rice. Chicken?  I want three of them'.  The guy hustled off and returned with three Styrofoam boxes which he passed across in exchange for about $5.

Below, seriously, is the best photo I could get of this meal.  The train was bumping and swaying so much I was lucky just to get it in frame.  There were only 3 pieces of chicken, no vegetables and overcooked rice but this was (for the price and due to the circumstances) and excellent meal. The chicken was rich and salty and spicy with just enough sauce to mix through the remainder of the rice.  At first I thought the leaf on top was a bay leaf but it turned out to be more like an acacia tree leaf - that is to say, I don't know what it is.

I had not been idle myself and had managed to acquire a decent supply of beer during the brief stop so that, in the end, we enjoyed a fine meal in style.