Yunnan Little Pot Rice Noodles

• 150g Jiangxi rice vermicelli sticks (thick rice vermicelli), (swapsies: rice vermicelli or flat rice noodles)
• 100g pickled mustard greens, roughly chopped (swapsies: gerkhins or capers)
• ¼ tsp Chinese five spice
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• Handful Chinese chives (swapsies: spring onions or green beans, finely sliced into matchsticks)
• 100g beansprouts, washed well

The Bean Paste

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Preserved, fermented black beans
• 1 tablespoon chili bean paste
• ¼ tsp chilli powder

The Sweet Soy

• 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

The Stock

• 3 Star anise
• 2-3 black cardamom (optional)
• 1L chicken stock
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

PREPARATION

Prepare the noodles
Soak your rice noodles in boiling water for 8–10 minutes or boil for 4–5 minutes until soft. Drain, rinse with cold water, and leave to dry while you prepare the toppings.

Fry the pickled mustard greens
Finely chop the pickled mustard greens. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok and stir-fry the greens with ¼ tsp five spice and a pinch of chilli powder for 2–3 minutes until aromatic and slightly crisp. This brings out their sweet-sour notes. Set aside.

COOKING

Make the spicy black bean paste
Crush 2 tsp soaked preserved black beans (rinsed to reduce saltiness). Mix with 2 tsp chilli bean paste and a pinch of chilli powder. Add to a wok with 1 tbsp oil over low heat. Fry gently, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute until you’ve got a rich, oily, aromatic paste. Pour over the noodles.

Sweet soy sauce
In the same wok, add 3 tbsp dark soy sauce and 1 tbsp brown sugar. Heat until the sugar has fully dissolved and the sauce is bubbling. Drizzle over your noodle bowl.

Blanch the greens
Bring your chicken or vegetable stock to a simmer with 1–1½ tbsp light soy sauce and a pinch of five spice. Briefly blanch your Chinese chives (or spring onion) and beansprouts in the stock for 30 seconds. If using thinly sliced meat, blanch for up to 1 minute.

Assemble and serve
Layer your toppings on the noodles – start with mustard greens, followed by the spicy bean paste, sweet soy, blanched veg and optional meat.

Finish by pouring the hot stock over the bowl. Let the heat rewarm the noodles and tie everything together. Enjoy immediately!