CHONGQING STREET NOODLE RECIPES

Steps:

• For braised beef, cut beef into 3cm chunks and blanch in a saucepan of boiling water (4-6 minutes). Tip into a colander and rinse well.
• Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add spring onion and ginger and stir-fry until tender (1-2 minutes). Add chilli bean paste, star anise and Shaoxing wine and stir-fry until fragrant (1-2 minutes). Add beef and remaining ingredients, bring to the boil, reduce heat to low, partially cover with a lid and simmer until tender, adding extra stock or water if sauce reduces too quickly (1¾-2 hours). Keep warm.
• For chilli oil, snip off chilli stems and cut chillies into thirds with kitchen scissors, discarding any exposed seeds (or they'll burn).
• Heat a wok over low heat, add chillies and stir-fry until fragrant and toasty (4-7 minutes). Add 1 tsp oil and stir-fry until chillies turn glossy and a shade darker (1½-2 minutes). Transfer to a mortar and pestle, cool for 5 minutes, then pound into coarse flakes and return to wok.
• Heat remaining oil in a saucepan until it begins to smoke (10-12 minutes). Turn off heat and cool for 5 minutes, then carefully pour oil over chilli flakes and stir (be careful, hot oil may spit). Set aside to cool and infuse for 2-3 hours.
• Return wok to medium heat, add Sichuan pepper and stir-fry until fragrant (3-5 minutes). Set aside to cool, then crush to a fine powder with a mortar and pestle.
• Blend ginger and garlic in a blender with 250ml water and a pinch of salt to a thin purée.
• Bring chicken stock to the boil in a saucepan, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook noodles in batches in a wok of boiling water until tender (4-5 minutes).
• Divide peanuts, sesame oil, soy sauce, Sichuan preserved vegetable, salted vegetable, 2-3 tbsp chilli oil with crushed chillies, crushed Sichuan pepper and 1-2 tbsp ginger-garlic purée into warm serving bowls. Add hot noodles, ladle in hot stock and top with beef and spring onion.

Steps:

• In the serving bowl, add a small pinch of salt, vinegar, soy sauce, gourmet powder, minced green onion whites, minced garlic, minced ginger, chili oil, sesame oil and lard.
• Cook noodles in boiling water according to the instructions on the package. Pour some noodle cooking soup into the serving bowl to tune the seasonings. And then transfer the noodles to serving bowl. Rinse the greens and transfer to serving bowl too.
• Garnish peanuts, minced green onions, minced coriander and minced Za cai. Add more chili oil if a stronger taste is wanted!