We ate Thai fried rice at so many travel stops and bus station cafes around the country. Once you’ve made (or bought) the jam, it’s a delicious and simple dish to prepare. The key ingredient is nam prik pao, a sweet, fiery and sticky chilli jam. I base my recipe for Thai chilli jam on David Thompson’s, but without the fish sauce. It’s incredibly versatile and can be used in all manner of stir fry. I also recommend using a pestle and mortar for this dish, so you get smashed garlic rather than puree. Thai cooks will use whatever vegetables are in season, so you can mix it up with your ingredients.

1. Heat a large wok on a high heat, with a little splash of vegetable oil added.
2. Add the smashed and chopped garlic, fry for 2 minutes and then add chopped shallots, green beans and carrot. Fry for a further 2-3 minutes, then add the cabbage, soy sauce and 2 teaspoons of Thai chilli jam.
3. Once the mixture is hot and sizzling, add the rice, peas and soy beans (if using) and mix well. Add more chilli jam to ensure the rice and vegetables are well coated, and adjust to taste for chilli heat.
4. Serve immediately, with a wedge of fresh lime and scatter with toasted peanuts and some roughly chopped fresh coriander. You can also serve this with a fried free range egg.