Hengyang fried fish rice noodle soup (yufen)

Slice the fish fillets into one-inch by two-inch domino pieces (or cut about 300 g of fish bones into two-inch pieces).

Boil 200 g dried rice noodles per the package, about six minutes; rinse under cool water to stop the cooking and set aside.

Heat about an inch of oil in a wok over high flame to about 190C, add the fish (the oil drops to around 140C, which is the target) and fry over max flame until golden, about three minutes.

Shut off the heat and dip out the oil, leaving a thin schmear.

Add the garlic, ginger, scallion white and dried chilies, fry briefly over maximum flame, and swirl in the Shaoxing wine.

Add one liter of hot boiled water, bring to a rapid boil and boil covered about eight minutes until milky.

Add the Napa cabbage and boil about two minutes; optionally add poached eggs.

Season with the salt, MSG and white pepper powder, pour over the noodles in two bowls and sprinkle with chopped scallions.