Kaeng liang (peppery shrimp and squash vegetable soup)

Blitz the dried shrimp in a coffee grinder until fluffy (or pound in a mortar and pestle).

Pound the white pepper in a mortar and pestle until fine.

Add one Thai chili and pound; it does not need to be super fine.

Add the chopped fingerroot and pound to a fine paste; ginger may substitute.

Add the chopped shallots and pound; if the paste gets wet and splashy, add a little dried shrimp for friction. Once fairly fine, add the rest of the dried shrimp. Everything may instead go in a blender.

Add a little fermented shrimp paste and pound to mix. The curry paste is done.

Add all the curry paste to the unsalted chicken stock and bring to a boil so the herbs infuse the broth.

After a few minutes of simmering, season with fish sauce before adding the vegetables.

Add the kabocha squash and cook 2 minutes.

Add the rest of the vegetables: the other squash, angled luffa and mushrooms. Cook until all the vegetables are done; the biggest piece of squash should take a fork easily.

Add the shrimp; they take about 30 seconds.

Turn off the heat and add the Thai basil.

Ladle the soup over rice, getting a little of everything.