Suzhou Noodle Soup

Wash and finely slice the 2 spring onions. Split into two equal portions by volume: one for the bowl bases and one for the garnish. Gently loosen 300 g fresh thin noodles.

Bring 3,000 ml water to a boil in a large pot. In a separate small pot, bring 800 ml clear chicken stock to a boil, then cover and keep hot on the lowest heat. Keep the noodle water separate from the stock.

While the liquids heat, divide the bowl-base spring onions between two noodle bowls. To each add 1 tbsp light soy sauce, ½ tsp dark soy sauce, ¼ tsp sugar, half of the measured ⅛ tsp white pepper, 1 tsp lard and ¼ tsp sesame oil.

Just before cooking the noodles, pour the hot stock into the bowls, 400 ml each. Stir gently until the lard and sugar dissolve into a clear reddish-brown broth. Keep the bowls beside the stove; do not add noodle water.

Add all 300 g noodles to the large pot of boiling water and gently separate the strands. Follow the packet timing, checking from about 1–2 minutes: bite a strand and lift the noodles as soon as the hard floury center is gone but they remain springy. If still floury, check again every 15 seconds.

Lift the noodles with a strainer and let the cooking water drain away. Immediately divide between the two bowls of hot broth. Fold into neat nests with chopsticks, divide the reserved garnish equally over them and serve at once.