Nam prik ong

Step 1: Toast the foil-wrapped 1 tsp shrimp paste in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 2 minutes a side, until it smells strongly and turns a shade darker. Unwrap it once cool.

Step 2: Drain the 6 dried long red chillies and squeeze them dry. Pound them in a mortar with the ½ tsp salt to a rough paste, then add 6 cloves garlic, 4 shallots and the toasted shrimp paste and pound for 5 more minutes until fairly smooth. A small food processor with a splash of the soaking water works too.

Step 3: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or saucepan over a medium heat and fry the paste, stirring all the time, for 3 minutes until it darkens a little and the oil turns red.

Step 4: Add 9 oz minced pork and stir-fry, pressing it with the spatula to break up the lumps, until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F (160 °F). Keep a separate board and knife for the raw pork.

Step 5: Add 10 ½ oz cherry tomatoes and ½ cup water, turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 8–10 minutes, squashing the tomatoes with the back of a spoon now and then. Don't blitz them to a purée: the dip should be thick and jammy with soft pieces of tomato still visible.

Step 6: Season with 1 ½ tbsp fish sauce and 1 tsp palm sugar and taste: it should be savoury first, then sweet-sour, with a gentle heat. Cook for 1 more minute; the oil should pool slightly round the edge.

Step 7: Spoon into a bowl, scatter with coriander and serve warm or at room temperature with the raw and blanched vegetables and pork crackling for scooping. It keeps for 3 days in the fridge.