Xiaoguo Mixian

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg fresh thick rice noodles (mixian)
• 1.4 litres pork or chicken stock
• 350 g minced pork
• 8 tbsp Yunnan pickled mustard greens, chopped
• 2 tbsp lard
• 1 tbsp sweet bean paste
• 4 tbsp Yunnan chilli oil, with plenty of sediment
• 2 tsp ground dried chilli
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp ground white pepper
• 150 g pea shoots or garlic chives, cut into short lengths
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce

Before you cook

• Loosen the fresh rice noodles under warm running water and drain them.
• Chop the pickled mustard greens finely and squeeze out the excess brine.
• Slice the spring onions and cut the pea shoots into short lengths.
• Bring the stock to a bare simmer in a saucepan and keep it hot.

Steps

1. Melt the lard in a small saucepan over high heat.
2. Add the minced pork and fry for 3 minutes, breaking it up until it browns and separates.
3. Stir in the sweet bean paste and the ground dried chilli and fry for 1 minute.
4. Add the pickled mustard greens and fry for 1 minute more.
5. Scoop half the pork mixture into a bowl and set it aside.
6. Pour 350 millilitres of the hot stock into the pan holding the remaining pork.
7. Bring the stock to a hard boil and add a quarter of the rice noodles.
8. Boil for 90 seconds, so the noodles soften and the broth reduces and clouds slightly.
9. Stir in a quarter of the pea shoots, half a teaspoon of the soy sauce, a pinch of salt, a pinch of sugar and a pinch of white pepper.
10. Cook for 20 seconds more, then tip the whole panful into a warmed bowl.
11. Spoon over a tablespoon of chilli oil and a scattering of spring onion.
12. Cook the remaining three portions the same way, returning a share of the reserved pork to the pan each time.
13. Serve each bowl the moment it is cooked.