Yibin ‘Kindling’ Noodles

Finely mince the pork belly.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over a high flame, add the pork belly, and stir fry for 20-30 seconds. Add the seasoning and stir fry until they are crisp and fragrant. ● Salt 1tsp / 5g ● Soy sauce 1tbsp / 15ml ● Shaoxing wine 1tbsp / 15ml

Place 2 cups (1lb 2oz / 500g) of flour on a pastry board or in a deep bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour; add 1tsp / 3g baking soda and 7oz / 200ml water. Gradually mix with hands or a wooden spoon until well blended. Gather into a ball and knead on a floured surface until smooth, about 10 minutes. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and rest for 40 - 60 minutes.

In a heated skillet over low heat, add the salt and peanuts, and stir-fry them for 3-4 minutes until toasted and fragrant. Turn them on to a chopping board or mortar and grind them into tiny pieces like rice grains.

In a heated skillet over low heat, toast the sesame seeds for 3-4 minutes until they are fragrant and delicious. Turn them on to a chopping board or mortar and grind them into tiny pieces. Set aside.

Add the 7 oz / 200g cornstarch in a cotton bag. Seal it with the strings.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a paper-thin rectangle. Dust the top of dough with flour to prevent sticking while rolling. Roll the dough with a wooden stick. Remove the stick and press down to make the dough flatten. Repeat the same step 2 more times. Divide the dough into 3 portions. Layer them on top of each other and fold it into 2 inches wide. Cut the dough into ⅕ inch (0.5 cm) width noodle strips. Unroll noodles and allow them to dry before cooking.

Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling water until they are just al dente - take care not to overcook them. Shake them in a colander to remove the water. Divide the noodles into 3 serving bowls.

Drizzle each bowl with soy sauce, chili oil, and sesame oil. Top each one with Sichuan peppercorn powder(to taste), a spoonful of chopped peanuts, a spoonful of preserved vegetable, a spoonful of crushed sesame seeds, and a spoonful of cooked pork belly and green onions(to taste). These toppings are traditionally added in separate piles, so the dark vegetable, pale nuts and seeds and dark green onions create an attractive chequerboard effect. ①Soy sauce 1 tbsp / 15 ml ②Chilli oil 1 tbsp / 15 ml ③Sesame oil 1 tsp / 5 ml ④Sichuan peppercorn powder (to taste) ⑤Crushed peanut 1tbsp / 15g ⑥Sichuanese ya cai preserved vegetable 1tbsp / 15g ⑦Crushed White Sesame Seeds 1tbsp / 10g ⑧Cooked pork belly 2oz / 55g ⑨Chopped green onion (to taste)

Serve immediately, and let your guests mix everything together at the table

The key to this noodles dish is to master the heat when cooking noodles. Add the noodles in the boiling water and cook until al dente. Do not overcook the noodles.