Pad kra pao gai

Step 1: Pound 6 cloves garlic and 6 bird's eye chillies together in a mortar to a coarse, wet paste, or chop them finely together. In a cup, mix 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp fish sauce, 1 tsp sugar and 3 tbsp water so the sauce is ready to pour.

Step 2: Fry the eggs first. Heat ½ cup vegetable oil in a wok over a high heat until it shimmers, then crack in one of the 2 eggs; it should puff and spit straight away. Spoon hot oil over the white for 1–2 minutes, until the edges are crisp and brown but the yolk is still soft. Lift out, drain and repeat. For pregnant people, young children, older or vulnerable people, fry until the yolk is firm.

Step 3: Pour the egg oil into a heatproof bowl and wipe out the wok. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil over a high heat, add the garlic-chilli paste and stir for 20–30 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.

Step 4: Add 14 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs, spread it out and leave it for 30 seconds to catch, then stir-fry for 3–4 minutes, breaking up clumps, until no pink remains and it reaches 165°F (165 °F). Keep the raw-chicken board and knife well away from the rice.

Step 5: Pour in the sauce and toss for 1 minute, until it bubbles down to a sticky glaze that clings to the meat. Add a splash of water if it starts to catch.

Step 6: Turn off the heat, add 1 ⅜ oz holy basil leaves (bai kra pao) and toss for 10 seconds, just until the leaves wilt. Adding the basil earlier is a common slip: it blackens and loses its peppery bite.

Step 7: Spoon 14 oz cooked jasmine rice onto two plates, pile the chicken alongside and top each plate with a fried egg. Serve with 3 tbsp sliced chillies in fish sauce (prik nam pla) for spooning over.