Chicken nasi goreng

The galangal and white pepper here add a good amount of heat, balanced out by the sweetness of the kecap manis and the saltiness of the soy sauce and fish sauce. The added crunch — from green beans, fried shallots and kerupuk or prawn crackers — ensures this dish hits all the right spots.

SERVES: 2 AS A LARGE MAIN, OR 4 AS A SIDE

TAKES: 45 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

2 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into small,

bite-sized cubes white pepper, to taste 3 tbsp coconut oil or sunflower oil 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced 8cm piece of galangal or ginger (about 40g), peeled and woody stem removed, finely chopped 1 small banana shallot or 2 Thai shallots, peeled and

thinly sliced handful of green beans, chopped into small chunks 2 spring onions, chopped into large chunks ¼ tsp ground turmeric 95g jasmine or basmati rice, cooked and cooled

(240g cooked weight) 2 tbsp kecap manis 1½ tsp fish sauce 2 tsp light soy sauce

TO SERVE

2 eggs (duck or hen) 1 tbsp fried shallots ½ long red chilli, thinly sliced kerupuk or prawn crackers, to serve

METHOD

Season the chicken with salt and white pepper. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan or wok set over a high heat and fry the chicken until cooked through, about 3 mins. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add another 1 tbsp of the oil to the pan, then tip in the garlic, galangal (or ginger) and shallots and cook over a medium-high heat until fragrant. Add the green beans, spring onions and turmeric and cook for 1 min.

Add the rice to the pan, breaking up any clumps with a spoon. Ensure everything is well combined and the rice is warmed through. Add the cooked chicken and season with the kecap manis, fish sauce, soy sauce and a large pinch of white pepper, plus extra salt if needed.

To fry the eggs, set a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the final 1 tbsp oil. Once it’s shimmering, crack the eggs directly into the oil. Cook for 2-3 mins until the whites are partially cooked. Tilt the pan and spoon the hot oil over the egg whites until fully cooked. Season with salt.

Divide the rice mix between two plates, garnish with the fried shallots and chilli and top with the fried eggs. Serve with the crackers.

Spiced corn fritters

Juicy corn combined with fragrant spices and aromatics creates these delicious fritters.

MAKES: 15 LARGE FRITTERS

TAKES: 40

MINS

INGREDIENTS

4 corns on the cob or 350g sweetcorn kernels

(canned or frozen) 1 tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for deep-frying 6cm piece of ginger (about 30g), peeled and

thinly sliced 6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced 2 long red chillies, thinly sliced 2 small banana shallots or 4 Thai shallots, peeled

and thinly sliced 2 large spring onions, thinly sliced 5 fresh kaffir lime leaves (optional), stems

removed, very thinly sliced 2 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground cumin 2 eggs, beaten 6 tbsp cornflour tomato sambal or sriracha chilli sauce, to serve

(optional)

METHOD

If using fresh corn, remove the outer husk and threads, then carefully slice down the outside of the cob, as close to the core as possible, to remove the kernels. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a frying pan set over a medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic, chillies and shallots and fry, stirring, for 10 mins. Tip the mixture into a food processor with the spring onions and kaffir lime leaves, if using, and blend to a medium-fine paste. Scrape the paste into a bowl and mix with the corn kernels. Add the coriander, cumin, eggs, 3 pinches of sea salt and a large pinch of black pepper. Stir well to combine, then add the cornflour.

Fill a deep saucepan one-third full with oil. Heat the oil to 180C (if you don’t have a kitchen thermometer, check the oil is at the right temperature by dropping in a cube of bread; it should turn golden in 15 seconds). Carefully drop a dessertspoonful of the batter into the hot oil; it should settle into a roughly circular shape. Repeat, without overcrowding the pan, to make 6-8 fritters

Fry until golden all over, about 4 mins (test one to ensure it’s cooked through). Transfer the cooked fritters to a tray lined with kitchen paper to drain. Repeat until all the mixture is used up, topping up the oil if needed. Serve with sambal or chilli sauce for dipping.