Indonesian Sweet Soy Fried Rice with Chicken, Prawns and Fried Egg

Blend the spice paste. Blitz or pound the shallots, garlic and chilli together until you have a thick, coarse paste – a few seconds in a mini processor or a couple of minutes with a pestle is enough. Little flecks of each ingredient should still be visible rather than a smooth purée. Breaking the aromatics down this way releases their oils so they fry evenly and flavour every grain of rice later on.

Separate the cold rice. Tip the cold cooked rice into a bowl and break it up with your hands so the grains fall apart instead of staying in clumps. Day-old rice works best here, as the grains have firmed up in the fridge and will fry rather than turn mushy. Take a minute over this; any stubborn clumps will steam instead of frying later on.

Season and brown the chicken. Toss the chicken with the salt and white pepper. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in the wok over high heat and stir-fry the chicken for 5-6 minutes, keeping it moving, until browned outside and cooked through to 74°C at the thickest piece. Steady high heat lets the surface caramelise quickly before the inside has a chance to overcook.

Add the prawns. Add the prawns for the final 2-3 minutes, stirring often. They're ready when opaque all the way through and curled into a loose shape. Tip the chicken and prawns onto a plate while you build the rest of the dish, so they don't overcook while you fry the paste.

Fry the spice paste. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of oil to the wok over medium-high heat, then add the paste. Fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring and scraping the base constantly, until it smells pungent and has darkened a few shades; turn the heat down if it catches too fast. Cooking it out this way drives off the raw harshness of the shallot and garlic and concentrates their flavour.

Stir-fry the rice. Add the rice to the wok and toss well so every grain picks up the paste, then pour in the kecap manis and soy sauce. Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes until the rice is evenly browned and steaming hot, reaching 74°C in the centre. The sugars in the kecap manis catch slightly against the hot wok, which is what gives fried rice its savoury-sweet edge.

Return chicken and prawns. Tip the chicken and prawns, along with any juices on the plate, back into the wok. Toss everything together for 1 minute, just long enough to heat it back through. Adding them at the end keeps the prawns tender rather than rubbery from a second long cook.

Fry the eggs. While the rice finishes, heat the remaining 1 tbsp of oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat and crack in the eggs. Cover with a lid and fry for 3-4 minutes until the whites and yolks are completely set at 71°C. Covering the pan traps steam so the tops of the yolks set without any flipping or basting.

Serve. Divide the rice between four plates and top each portion with a fried egg and a scattering of spring onions. Arrange the cucumber and tomato alongside for a cool, crunchy contrast to the hot rice. Serve straightaway while everything is still steaming.