First, make a paste from the chilis, garlic, shallots and shrimp paste. Pound the chilis to a coarse paste in a granite mortar, about 20 seconds. Add the garlic and pound until it breaks down and you can only see small bits of garlic, about 30 seconds, then do the same with the shallots. Add the shrimp paste and pound until it's just incorporated, about 10 seconds. Don't be alarmed if the paste isn't smooth — that's what we want here. The paste should still be fairly coarse, and you should have around 1 tablespoons worth of paste.

Bring a large pot of water to a violent boil and add the prepared squash for 20 seconds, before draining it well using a colander.

Heat a wok over medium heat, add the oil, and swirl it around the wok to coat the sides and bottom of the wok evenly. When the oil is hot, add all oft he paste and take the wok off the heat, cooking and stirring the paste constantly until it is fragrant but not colored, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Be careful not to inhale the paste — pounded chiles plus heat equals a massive coughing fit. This tip is in the cookbook, and I happened to me as well since I was the idiot who decided to see what would happen if I actually sniffed the paste.

Put the wok back on the heat, turn the heat to high, and add the squash Stir-fry, constantly stirring, scooping and flipping the ingredients for a minute or so to coat the squash and let the paste infuse it. Add the stock, sugar and salt, and continue to stir fry until the squash is tender but not mushy or falling apart, around 3 to 5 minutes. Every 30 seconds or so, consider adding a splash of water to keep the ingredients moist. Once the squash is ready, its outside surfaces should take on a caramelized appearance and there should be no liquid left in the wok.

Transfer the squash to a plate, sprinkle on the fried shallots, and serve immediately.