Hot and Sour Fried Rice

Method

1. Soak the wood ear in warm water for 20 min, squeeze dry and chop finely. Cut the tofu into 1 cm cubes and press dry with kitchen paper; roughly chop the shiitake and mince the garlic. Break up the cold rice with damp hands.

   Add in this stepDried wood ear mushrooms 3 g

2. Heat a 28 cm wok or frying pan on medium-high heat, add oil and pour in the beaten eggs. Stir in big sweeps for 45 sec into soft, half-set curds, then tip onto a plate.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil ¾ tbspEggs 2

   medium-high heat

3. Add a little more oil and fry the tofu on medium-high heat for 3 min, turning, until golden on 2 or 3 sides. Add the pork, garlic, shiitake and wood ear and stir-fry for 2 min 30 sec, until the pork has no pink left and is starting to crisp at the edges.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil ¾ tbspFirm tofu 100 gMinced pork 100 gGarlic cloves 2Fresh shiitake mushrooms 3

   medium-high heat

4. Add the remaining oil and the rice and stir-fry on high heat for 4 min. Press the rice down with the spatula, then flip it, again and again, until every grain is separate and you can hear it crackle.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil 1 tbspCooked rice, chilled (day-old) 400 g

   high heat

5. Pour the light soy sauce around the edge of the pan so it sizzles, then add the dark soy sauce and white pepper and season with salt. Return the egg, drizzle the black vinegar around the hot edge of the pan and toss on high heat for 1 min: the harsh edge cooks off and the aroma stays. Toss in the spring onions at the end.

   Add in this stepLight soy sauce 3 tspDark soy sauce ¾ tspGround white pepper ½ tspSalt to tasteChinese black vinegar (Chinkiang) 2¾ tspSpring onions 2

   high heat

6. Serve with a drizzle of chilli oil and a splash of the remaining black vinegar. Vinegar added at the table brings back that unmistakable hot and sour tang.

   Add in this stepChilli oil 2 tspChinese black vinegar (Chinkiang) 1¼ tsp