Sichuan beef noodle soup

Cover the beef with about four cups of cold water; add ginger slices, whacked scallions and a couple of smashed garlic cloves; bring to a simmer and simmer about 10 minutes.

Lift the beef into a bowl and rinse off the surface scum under cold water.

Skim the scum from the liquid with a spoon, then strain the rest; keep it as the broth base.

Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in the wok until smoking; add the Sichuan peppercorns, bay leaves, star anise and cinnamon with a quarter onion, a couple scallions, two chopped garlic cloves and more ginger, cooking for light browning to infuse the oil.

Add about three tablespoons of doubanjiang and fry it in the oil until the moisture cooks out and the oil turns bright red.

Add the chopped Roma tomatoes and let them break down a little over medium heat.

Add about half a cup of Shaoxing wine and a quarter cup of light soy sauce and bring to a simmer.

Return the broth and beef with a little more water so the beef is mostly covered; add a splash of dark soy sauce and the chen pi with fresh tangerine peel.

Cover and simmer gently until the beef is just tender with a little chew left, 60 to 90 minutes; here closer to two hours.

Lift out the beef; fish out the aromatics with a strainer, leaving the fat; shred the beef into chunks.

Season with a little fresh light soy sauce and black vinegar; taste.

Blanch bok choy very briefly in boiling water so it stays crunchy.

Cook the fresh noodles about a minute until springy.

Assemble noodles, greens and beef chunks; add chili crisp and pickled mustard greens, ladle in broth and add cilantro.