Kapi Khluk — Fermented Shrimp Paste Rice / ข้าวคลุกกะปิ

Central Thai — an ancient preparation considered a royal-tradition dish; the precise garnish assembly reflects the Central Thai aesthetic of flavour composition

Kapi khluk (shrimp paste rice) is a Central Thai comfort food preparation — cooked jasmine rice is mixed (khluk = mixed) with toasted kapi, fried with lime juice and a small amount of palm sugar until fragrant, then served with a precise assembly of garnishes: sweet pork (moo wan), dried shrimp (kung haeng), fried egg, green mango julienne, sliced shallot, long beans, and fresh bird's eye chilli. Each element is a flavour note: the kapi rice provides the savoury-fermented bass; the sweet pork provides sweetness; the green mango and lime provide acid and crunch; the fried egg provides richness; the chilli provides heat. It is one of the most complete flavour compositions in Thai street food.

Kapi khluk is Thai cuisine's version of the composed rice bowl — each garnish element is selected and positioned to deliver a specific flavour note, and the eating experience involves constructing bites that incorporate multiple elements for the intended full-flavour effect.