Khao Pad Pu (Thai Crab Fried Rice)

Method

1. Make the prik nam pla: slice the chillies into thin rings and mix with the fish sauce and lime juice. Run your fingertips through the crab to pick out any bits of shell while keeping the lumps as whole as possible. Mix the soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce and sugar in a small cup, and beat the eggs in a bowl. Separate the rice grains with wet hands, chop the garlic, and cut the spring onions and celery into 2 cm lengths.

   Add in this stepBird's eye chillies 3Fish sauce (for the prik nam pla) 1½ tbspLime juice (for the prik nam pla) 1½ tsp

2. Heat the lard in a 28 cm wok on high heat until it just begins to smoke. Add the garlic and stir for 30 sec until pale gold, then move straight on; brown garlic tastes bitter.

   Add in this stepPork lard or vegetable oil 1½ tbspGarlic cloves 4

   high heat

3. Pour in about two-thirds of the beaten egg; as soon as the edges puff and start to set (10–15 seconds), tip the rice right on top. Press and turn the rice on high heat for 3 min, until the egg coats the grains in gold and every grain is separate and dry. Tossing the wok so the rice flips in the air adds a smoky edge.

   Add in this stepEggs 2⅛Cold cooked jasmine rice (day-old) 400 g

   high heat

4. Pour the seasoning mix around the hot rim of the wok so it sizzles and caramelises, then toss it through. Keep stir-frying on high heat for 1 min so the seasoning spreads evenly.

   Add in this stepLight soy sauce 2 tspFish sauce 2 tspOyster sauce 1 tspSugar 1 tsp

   high heat

5. Turn the heat down to medium heat and push the rice aside. Add the rest of the lard and the remaining egg to the gap and scramble softly for about 20 seconds, then add the crab, spring onions, celery and white pepper and fold gently from the bottom for 1 min. The crab is already cooked and only needs warming through; stirring hard breaks it into shreds.

   Add in this stepPork lard or vegetable oil 1 tbspEggs 0.9Cooked crab meat (lump) 140 gSpring onions 2Chinese celery or celery leaves 20 gGround white pepper 1 pinch

   medium heat

6. Pack the rice into a bowl and turn it out onto the plate for a neat dome, with cucumber and lime on the side. Squeeze over the lime and add the prik nam pla a little at a time.

   Add in this stepCucumber ½Lime, in wedges ½