Nasi goreng

Step 1: Pound or blitz 4 shallots, 3 cloves garlic and 2 red chillies to a rough, moist paste. Break up 1 ⅛ lb cooked jasmine rice with your fingers so there are no clumps; cold rice fries into separate grains, freshly cooked rice turns to mush. Using warm, just-cooked rice is the classic mistake: it clumps and goes sticky in the wok.

Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp of the 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over a medium heat. Fry the paste, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until it stops smelling raw, turns a shade darker and the oil goes orange.

Step 3: Turn the heat to high. Add 2 ⅞ oz white cabbage and stir-fry for 1 minute until it just wilts, then add the rice and toss for 2 minutes, pressing it against the hot wok so the grains heat through and start to crackle.

Step 4: Pour 2 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) and 1 tsp light soy sauce down the side of the wok so they sizzle, then toss until every grain is evenly tan. Season with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp white pepper, add 3 spring onions and toss once more. Taste and add a little more kecap if you like it sweeter.

Step 5: Divide the rice between plates. Wipe out the wok, heat the remaining 3 tbsp vegetable oil over a medium-high heat and fry 2 eggs for 2–3 minutes, spooning hot oil over the whites, until the edges are brown and lacy and the yolks still runny.

Step 6: Top each plate with an egg and serve with ½ cucumber, 1 tomato, a scattering of 2 tbsp crispy fried shallots and a spoonful of 1 tbsp sambal oelek on the side.