Mala Japchae (Sichuan-Spiced Glass Noodles)

Method

1. Soak the noodles in cold water for 30 minutes. Snip the dried chilies into 2 cm pieces and shake out the seeds; slice the garlic. Thinly slice the shiitake, cut the pepper into 5 mm strips and quarter or halve the bok choy lengthwise. Cut the scallions into 4 cm lengths and roughly chop the peanuts.

   Add in this stepSweet potato glass noodles (dangmyeon) 100 gDried red chilies 4Garlic cloves 2Fresh shiitake mushrooms 2Red bell pepper ½Baby bok choy 2Scallions 2Roasted peanuts 2 tbsp

2. Put the oil, Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilies into a 26 cm wok and warm slowly over low heat for 2 min. When the chilies turn deep red and the oil smells numbing and fragrant, scoop out the peppercorns with a sieve (leave them in if you love the tingle) and keep the chilies. Do not raise the heat: blackened chilies taste bitter.

   Add in this stepCooking oil 2 tbspSichuan peppercorns 1 tsp

   low heat

3. Add the ground pork to the mala oil and stir-fry over medium-high heat for 4 min until crumbly and golden at the edges. Add the doubanjiang, garlic and ginger and fry 30 seconds more, until the oil turns red.

   Add in this stepGround pork 120 gDoubanjiang (chili bean paste) 1 tbspMinced ginger 1 tsp

   medium-high heat

4. Add the shiitake, pepper and bok choy stems and stir-fry over medium-high heat for 2 min. When the stems turn bright green, add the leaves.

   medium-high heat

5. Pour in the water, soy sauce and sugar and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the drained noodles, turn down to medium heat and braise for 5 min, stirring, until the liquid is almost gone and the noodles are glossy red and springy.

   Add in this stepWater 150 mlSoy sauce 1 tbspSugar 1 tsp

   high heat→medium heat

6. Turn off the heat and toss in the black vinegar, sesame oil and scallions. Plate and scatter with the peanuts and cilantro.

   Add in this stepChinese black vinegar 1 tspToasted sesame oil 1 tspCilantro (optional) to taste