It is overcast, and not especially warm. I take stock of my cupboards, seeking a comforting mid-morning snack. Something savoury and definitely Burmese. There is nothing that ‘eat me’ written on it and I decide to make something.

A large bag of dried shiitake mushrooms have been sitting patiently on the bottom shelf. They have a delightful earthiness that you get from wild mushrooms, gorgeous smoky flavour and meaty texture.

can’t seem to get enough of chillies and buy more this weekend. This time green chillies from the supermarket. I normally like to avoid supermarkets all together but for this recipe I need some processed cheese. Chilli and cheese may not strike as an obvious marriage of flavours but the combination works. The flavour of the chillies are enhanced by the creaminess of the cheese and the distinct taste of butter coming through.

It is dull and overcast with a crisp wind blowing in from the east. This is the sort of day on which I think about making preserves or jams – usually Seville oranges made into chunky marmalade filling the kitchen with intensely orange fragrance. Seville oranges are not in season until February, I will have to wait.