Vegetable lawar

Step 1: Pound or blitz 5 shallots, 4 cloves garlic, 1 ⅛ in galangal, ¾ in kencur (aromatic ginger), ¾ in turmeric root, ¾ in ginger, 3 candlenuts, 4 red bird's eye chillies, 1 tsp coriander seeds, ½ tsp black peppercorns and 1 stalk lemongrass to a fine, thick, orange paste.

Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat and fry the paste with 1 tsp salt for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until it darkens to golden brown, smells sweet and nutty, and the oil separates. Cool.

Step 3: Toast 5 ½ oz freshly grated coconut in a dry pan over a medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 4–5 minutes until light golden and fragrant. Don't let it go brown. If using 5 ½ oz firm tofu, fry the cubes in a little oil for 5 minutes until golden.

Step 4: Blanch 14 oz long beans or green beans in salted boiling water for 2–3 minutes until bright green and just tender, then plunge into cold water, drain and dry well. Chop very finely, about 3 mm, the Balinese way. Overcooking the beans until olive-green is the easy mistake to make; they should still squeak.

Step 5: Just before eating, put the beans, coconut, tofu and 3–4 tbsp of the fried paste in a big bowl. Add 3 makrut lime leaves, 2 limes and 1 tsp sugar and mix with clean hands, squeezing gently, until the beans are evenly orange.

Step 6: Taste and add more paste, salt or lime; it should be sour, hot and fragrant. Fold in most of the 4 tbsp crispy fried shallots, scatter the rest on top and serve with rice. Leftover base genep keeps a week in the fridge.