Thai chicken with cashew nuts is familiar from most restaurant menus, but it is simple to cook at home if you get all the ingredients are lined up. As ever, these are the staples you will have in your larder if regularly cook south east Asian food. The dried chillies add a little general heat to the dish, but are surprisingly hot if you bite into a piece! serves 4

• 2 to 3 chicken breasts, cut into thin slices

• 6 to 10 long dried chillies, each cut into a few pieces

• 2 tbsp fish sauce

• 4 tbsp oyster sauce

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp brown sugar

• 100 ml water

• 1 tsp cornflour

• 3 tbsp vegetable/groundnut oil

• 80g unsalted cashew nuts (or more or less to taste)

• 4 to 6 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 red pepper, roughly chopped

• 1 medium carrot, cut into strips

• 1 medium onion cut into 8 pieces

• 2 spring onions, including green bits, chopped on the diagonal

Recipe:

1. Mix the sugar with the water, cornflour and sauces in a bowl.

2. Heat the wok, add the cashew nuts and chillies and dry fry until lightly browned, then remove and set aside.

3. Add the oil to the wok, heat and add the vegetables and chicken. Cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes. Return the chillies and nuts to the pan.

4. Add the sauce mixture, bring to the boil and cook for another minute over a high heat until the sauce has thickened slightly.

5. Serve with rice, with the spring onions scattered over the top, and extra soy sauce on the side.