Chongqing hot & sour noodles
SERVES 4
200g dried sweet potato or mung bean (cellophane) noodles (see note), soaked in cold water for 1 hour to soften, then drained
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
¼ cup (60ml) chilli oil, or use Lao Gan Ma chilli oil
¼ cup (60ml) light soy sauce
1/3 cup (80ml) Chinkiang black vinegar
2 cups (500ml) hot good-quality stock
4 spring onions, sliced
1/3 cup (50g) ya cai (see tip)
2 tablespoons roasted peanuts
1 tablespoon sesame seeds Handful of coriander sprigs, finely chopped
1 Cook the softened noodles in a saucepan of boiling water for 8-10 minutes or until tender. They will still be chewy, but should be
