Shrimp-paste rice with sweet pork and green mango (Khao khluk kapi)

1. Cook the jasmine rice the day before and chill. Cut the pork belly into small cubes.

2. In a pan, melt the palm sugar with the water, add the meat, soy sauce, fish sauce and sliced shallots, and simmer over low heat for 30-35 minutes until the meat is tender and the sauce is a thick, glossy caramel.

3. Meanwhile beat the eggs and cook into a thin omelette, then roll up and cut into strips; peel the green mango and cut into thin strips, slice the shallots and cucumber, and slice the chillies into rings.

4. Heat the oil in a wok, fry the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the shrimp paste and fry for half a minute, breaking it up, until fragrant.

5. Add the rice and toss for 3-4 minutes until every grain is evenly coated with the paste.

6. Mound the rice in the middle of the plates, arrange the caramelised pork, egg strips, mango, shallots, cucumber and chilli around it and serve with lime wedges; mix everything together before eating.

Tip: Sweet, salty, sour and hot on one plate – the whole palette of Thai cooking. Shrimp paste is very intense, so start with less and open a window when frying it.