Dan Dan Noodles

Finely chop the pickled mustard stems (ya cai), mince the garlic (4 cloves), and separate the scallions into white and green parts, slicing them into rings.

Make the chili oil: place chili flakes (2 tbsp) and 1 tsp ground Sichuan pepper into a heatproof bowl. In a saucepan, heat 100 ml sunflower oil to 170-180°C (until lightly smoking), remove from heat, wait 30 seconds, then pour it in a thin stream over the flakes while stirring vigorously — the oil should sizzle loudly and turn bright red. Let it infuse for at least 10 minutes.

Heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a wok or deep skillet over high heat, add the ground pork and cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking up the lumps with a spatula, until browned and the liquid has evaporated. Add the white part of the scallions and half the minced garlic, cook for 1 minute until fragrant, then stir in the ya cai and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the meat is dry and deep golden, then remove from heat.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, season with salt to taste, and cook the wheat noodles for 3-4 minutes until al dente (or according to package instructions). Before draining, reserve 150 ml of the noodle cooking water.

In each of 4 serving bowls, place sesame paste (3 tbsp), soy sauce (3 tbsp), black rice vinegar (2 tbsp), sugar (1 tsp), the remaining minced garlic, and 0.5 tsp ground Sichuan pepper. Add 2-3 tbsp of the reserved hot noodle water to each bowl and whisk the sauce until smooth and creamy, with no lumps.

Divide the hot noodles among the bowls with sauce, top with the fried pork and ya cai mixture, and drizzle with chili oil to taste (about 1-2 tbsp per serving).

Sprinkle with crushed roasted peanuts and the green part of the scallions. Before eating, toss the noodles thoroughly with the sauce right in the bowl so every strand is coated, and serve immediately while hot.