Remove the excess fat and skin from each thigh and cut each in half, through the bone (a meat cleaver is best for this but a heavy knife will also do).

Put these in a bowl with the fish sauce, 1 tbsp of the sugar, the garlic, ginger and the sliced whole chilli.

Turn everything over to make sure the chicken gets coated.

Cover with cling film and put in the fridge to marinate.

It ideally needs four hours, though overnight is even better.

Bring it to room temperature before cooking.

Heat the oil in a sauté pan and fry the chicken over a medium heat on all sides to get a good colour (reserve the marinade).

Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the onion to the pan and fry until it is just beginning to get a good colour.

Add it to the chicken.

Drain any excess oil from the pan, but don’t clean it.

Add the rest of the sugar and 2 tbsp of water and heat until the sugar turns to caramel; you must take it far enough so that the sugar caramelizes (otherwise you will just have a sweet sauce), but not so far that it burns.

The colour and smell should tell you when you get there.

Immediately add the stock and the juice of 1 lime.

Bring to the boil, then add the chicken, onion and reserved marinade.

Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices are nice and glossy round the meat.

Stir in the rest of the chilli, the spring onions and the coriander.

Check to see whether you need more lime.

Serve immediately with rice and stir-fried greens.