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I have just been food styling an Asian cookbook and while I consider myself quite an authority on Asian food, this simple but damn delicious breakfast dish really blew my mind. The recipe called for chorizo, which I suspect is because the cured spicy pork they use in the Philippines is a tad hard to get hold of. Using chorizo is great though because frying an egg in the oil the chorizo leaves is a real treat and the spiciness compliments everything perfectly. I wouldn’t eat this just for breakfast either; it’s just as good as a light supper. Having never been to the Philippines I can’t vouch for whether it’s authentic but it’s a damn great dish. Plus, what a great way of using up leftover rice and it’s delicious served on its own or with meat and poultry dishes. If you don’t have any leftover rice, cook 225g the day before, using the absorption method, and keep it in the refrigerator.

1-2 tablespoons groundnut oil
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
450g cooked long-grain rice
1-2 tablespoons Filipino or Thai fish sauce
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

for serving
2-3 tablespoons groundnut
3 whole fresh chorizo sausages, sliced diagonally
4 free-range eggs
optional: 4-6 tablespoons coconut vinegar, for dipping (you could use rice wine vinegar instead)

Heat the oil in a wok, or heavy pan, and stir in the garlic until fragrant and golden. Toss in the rice, breaking up any lumps, and add the fish sauce. Season with salt, if needed, and black pepper, then turn off the heat and cover the wok or pan with a lid to keep the rice warm.

In a heavy pan, fry the sliced chorizo in a tablespoon of the oil, until crispy on both sides. Drain the chorizo on kitchen paper. Heat the rest of the oil in a separate pan and fry the eggs sunny-side up or over-easy, making sure the yolk remains soft and runny.

Tip the rice onto individual plates, place the egg on top, and arrange the chorizo around the edge. Serve warm with the coconut vinegar.