This is a dish made from cooked rice. It is one of the many ways in which 'left over' rice is utilised in Thailand. Also, since the essential point is that this is a dish eaten whilst a group of friends talk, or carry on with other tasks (preparing the ingredients for the main meal of the day, for example), it is usually presented with the various ingredients in separate serving bowls. The diners then take whatever takes their fancy as the meal progresses.