Thai up your table

The key Thai flavours are sweet, salty, sour and hot. Street food vendors in Thailand normally leave condiments which reflect this on the table by their stand – the equivalent of our salt, vinegar, ketchup and mustard.

Why not do the same at home and fill four small ramekins with:

Chillies in fish sauce: 4 red Birdseye chillies, finely chopped, in 4 tbsp. fish sauce. (Hot and salty)

Chillies in rice vinegar: 4 red Birdseye chillies, finely chopped, in 4 tbsp. rice or white wine vinegar. (Hot and sour)

Demerara or crumbled palm sugar. (Sweet)

Chilli powder, chilli flakes or the non-traditional but delicious Sriracha sauce, which first appeared in the 1980s. (Hot)

Place in the middle of the table with some teaspoons so everyone can help themselves.

Add a small pile of lime wedges for a burst of freshness, too.