Vegetables in water

Bring a pot of water to a boil.

Add the vegetables, beans and gourds first if using, and boil three minutes for beans and gourds or thirty seconds for anything else.

Shut off the heat, transfer to a serving bowl together with the hot water and let it cool naturally.

Take a vegetable out of the water and dip it in the dipping sauce, which is the actual centrepiece of the dish.

Start the vegetables boiling at the beginning of the cooking session so they are at the right temperature by the time the rest of the meal is ready.