Yibin burning noodles

Sodium carbonate can be made by spreading baking soda on a tray and baking it one hour at around 150 centigrade; above 80 celsius baking soda decomposes into water vapour, carbon dioxide and sodium carbonate.

Mix half a teaspoon of sodium carbonate into 125 grams of water and drizzle that into 300 grams of bread or noodle flour, for about 42 percent hydration.

Knead in a stand mixer with a hook for eight minutes on speed two, or by hand for the same time; if it still looks crumbly, press and knead it together and rest half an hour.

Pass the dough through a pasta maker at the widest setting, then again at the third smallest, flour both sides and fold three or four times.

Slice the folded dough into noodles about two millimetres wide, separate and flour them, and use within a day or so.

Toast the two chilies in a dry wok over a medium-low flame about five minutes, until deepened in colour and smelling good.

Snip the chilies into one centimetre lengths keeping the seeds and discarding the stems, and pulse them to a powder.

Heat 60 grams of oil until it begins to smoke, about 230 centigrade, hold a minute or two and shut off the heat, which removes the pungency of raw rapeseed or mustard seed oil.

At about 210 celsius add the crushed ginger, walnut, half cinnamon stick, star anise and Sichuan peppercorn and fry about five minutes over a low flame, until the oil is back to about 150 degrees.

Take out the clunkier spices, strain the oil into the chili powder, stir well and pour in 60 grams of melted lard. The chili oil is usable at once but better the next day.

Toast raw peanuts over a medium flame about twelve minutes until cooked through and charred outside, then rub them between the fingers and blow the peels off.

Crush the peanuts by rolling a beer bottle over them in a bag, about two minutes.

Toast the sesame seeds over a medium low flame about five minutes until deepened in colour and popping, pound lightly in a mortar to just break them open, and mix into the peanuts.

Boil about 150 grams of fresh noodles for one portion until just past al dente, about one minute.

Strain and shake the noodles vigorously, then put them in a bowl.

Immediately mix in two tablespoons of the chili oil, a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil and a teaspoon of light soy sauce.

Top with two tablespoons each of the peanut-sesame mix, ya cai and sliced scallion, and either a quarter teaspoon of MSG or half a teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder, then mix and eat.

Variation: a style where the xiangyou carries no chili and the chili is added separately later; and tang ran mian, which contains sugar and lard.