Dan dan (ish) noodles

25 MINUTES | SERVES 4-6 EASY |

This might not be the version you’d get from a restaurant but it’s full of flavour. It has that comforting warmth you crave when you come home and want something delicious yet simple to put together.

pork mince 400g

garlic 4 large cloves, thinly sliced

chinese five-spice 1 heaped tbsp

sichuan peppercorns 1 tbsp, finely ground sesame oil 1 tbsp

toban jiang chilli bean paste 4 tbsp (see cook’s notes) chiu chow chilli oil 2 tbsp (see cook’s notes) fine green beans 200g, each cut into 3 dried egg noodles 300g tahini 2 tbsp spring onions 4, thinly sliced toasted sesame seeds a handful

• Dry-fry the pork mince in a wok or deep frying pan over a high heat for 5 minutes, breaking it down with the side of a spoon. Before it’s fully cooked, add the garlic, five-spice, sichuan pepper and sesame oil, and stir well. Keep moving the mince around for 5 minutes so it begins to crisp up but doesn’t stick. Add the chilli bean paste and chilli oil, and mix well, before adding the green beans and stir-frying for a few minutes to soften.

• Cook the noodles following pack instructions, then drain, reserving the water, and set aside.

• Add 300ml of the noodle water to the pork mixture, stir well, add the tahini and stir well again. Simmer until the mixture forms a saucy consistency (add a splash of lukewarm water to loosen, if needed).

• To serve, plate the noodles and pour the pork mixture over them. Garnish with spring onions and toasted sesame seeds.

PER SERVING (6) 429 KCALS | FAT 17.8G SATURATES 4.2G | CARBS 40.8G | SUGARS 2.7G FIBRE 6G | PROTEIN 23.3G | SALT 2.2G