Lahpet, London: ‘Dishes that demand your attention’

In the days following my dinner at Lahpet on London’s Bethnal Green Road, I could often be found fridge-hanging, teaspoon in hand. I was waiting for the moment when, unwatched, I could take a crafty scoop from one of the white, resealable bags of balachaung that I had smuggled home with me, so I could eat it neat. Balachaung is one of the more ubiquitous condiments from the country I will refer to as Burma (as that’s the name Lahpet uses). Trust me. You need balachaung in your life.