Saozi Noodles

Soak 5 g dried fungus in water until fully expanded and supple, about 30 minutes or as directed on the pack. Rinse, trim and chop. Meanwhile peel and dice half a potato into 1 cm cubes; rinse and drain. Dice half a carrot into about 6 mm cubes and 100 g tofu into 1 cm cubes. Prepare the ginger, garlic and 2 green garlic stalks, reserving a few tender greens. Beat 1 egg and loosen 300 g fresh noodles. Keep raw pork separate from ready-to-eat ingredients.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok over medium-low heat. Add all the beaten egg and swirl into a thin crepe. Cook for about 1–2 minutes until the surface sets, then turn and cook about 30 seconds more until fully set on both sides. Remove, cool briefly and cut into thin strips for serving.

Add the remaining 2 tsp oil to the same wok over medium heat. Add 200 g ground pork and break it up for about 4–5 minutes until separate, no longer raw-looking and beginning to brown as the moisture subsides. Break up any large clumps.

Lower the heat. Add 1 tsp minced ginger and all the garlic; stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add 1 tbsp ground chili and stir for about 10 seconds, then immediately add 1 tbsp cooking wine and 1 tbsp black vinegar down the side of the wok, followed by 2 tbsp light soy sauce. Stir for about 30 seconds. Add the liquids as soon as the chili releases red oil; do not let it blacken.

Add all the potato, carrot and fungus and stir for about 1 minute. Add 800 ml water, bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 10–12 minutes until the potato yields to light pressure and the carrot is tender. Add all the tofu and simmer for 3 minutes until hot through. Keep the broth fluid; replace excessive evaporation with a little hot water. Start heating a separate pot of noodle water near the end.

Add all the green garlic except the reserved tender garnish, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp white pepper. Simmer about 30 seconds until the greens are just cooked. Stir in the remaining 2 tbsp black vinegar, return to a gentle simmer and keep over the lowest heat. The pork and fungus must be cooked through; keep the broth tangy and fluid rather than reducing it to a thick sauce.

Add 300 g fresh noodles to the separate pot of boiling water and gently separate them. Follow the packet timing, usually about 2–4 minutes, until cooked through with no raw center but still springy. Lift out and drain excess water without cooling them.

Divide the hot noodles and all the hot saozi broth between two bowls, sharing the vegetables, egg strips and reserved green garlic evenly. Put noodles into each bowl before ladling over broth. Finish the first bowl, then gently slide the remaining hot noodles from the skimmer into the second bowl before adding its remaining broth and garnish. Serve at once.