Well, I’m sorry, I thought I’d be quicker with these recipes but they take a while to type out and I’ve been really busy. So, what can ya do, you’ll get ’em as I can swing ’em.

This is a simple, delicious dish. I’m not really a huge fried rice fan but this is another story entirely. I like the fact that it pairs well with day old rice, which ensures that the rice doesn’t hang out and live in your fridge until the day you realize it’s been in there far too long and are forced to chuck it.

Also, any protein can be easily subbed out for the pork, so it can suit all moods and diets. And, it’s quick. Not something that can be said about every recipe in the Pok Pok Cookbook. So it’s handy for a weeknight meal. The recipe claims that this is enough for 1 person and to double the recipe for 2…but 2 cups of rice is a lot for 1 person. I’ll let you make your own decision.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon thin Thai soy sauce
• a pinch of ground white pepper
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 oz. peeled small shallots, preferably Asian, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced with the grain (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 large peeled garlic clove, halved lengthwise and lightly crushed into small pieces in a granite mortar
• 4 oz. boneless pork shoulder (or other protein) sliced against the grain into bite sized pieces
• 2 cups jasmine rice, preferably day old
• 2 tablespoons thinly slice green onions, lightly packed, plus a pinch for finishing
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped cilantro (thin stems and leaves), lightly packed

To Serve Alongside:

8 or so 1/4″ slices firm cucumber, peeled if thick-skinned

1 lime wedge (preferably from a key lime)

Phrik Naam Plaa (Fish sauce-soaked chilies), recipe below

Preparation:

Combine the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and pepper in a small bowl and mix well.

Heat a wok over very high heat, add the oil and swirl it in the wok to coat the sides. When it begins to smoke, crack the egg (it should spit and sizzle violently and  the whites should bubble and puff) and cook without touching until all but the center of the whites are set, about 15 – 20 seconds. Flip the egg (it’s fine if it cracks) and shove to the side of the wok, up the wall if you can. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring them (but not the egg) often, until they’ve lightly browned, about 1 minute.

Add the pork, stir everything together well, and stir fry until the pork is no longer pink on the outside.

Add the rice and stir fry, breaking up the egg a bit, for 30 seconds. Add the fish sauce mixture (add a splash of water, if necessary, to make sure nothing’s left behind) and continue to stir fry until the pork is just cooked through and the flavors have permeated the rice, about a minute or so more.

Turn off the heat, stir in the 2 tablespoons of green onions, and transfer the rice to a plate. Top with the remaining green onions and cilantro and serve with cucumber slices on the edge of the plate, the lime wedge for squeezing and the fish sauce-soaked chilies in a small bowl to spoon on top. **hint: the fish sauce-soaked chilies are the real magic here **.

Phrik Naam Plaa (fish sauce-soaked chilies):

• About 14 fresh Thai chiles, preferably green, thinly sliced
• About 1/2 cup Thai fish sauce
• About 2 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic (optional)

Combine the ingredients in a bowl or container and stir. Keeps covered in the fridge for 2 days or so.