Mapo Tofu

Bring a pan of lightly salted water to a bare simmer, slide in the tofu and leave it for 2 minutes, then drain carefully. This firms it just enough to survive the sauce.

Heat the oil in a wok over a high heat and fry the pork, breaking it up, until it is dry and beginning to crisp — about 4 minutes.

Turn the heat down to medium, push the pork aside and add the doubanjiang. Fry it for a full minute until the oil turns red.

Add the black beans, garlic, ginger and spring onion whites and fry for 30 seconds.

Pour in the stock, soy sauce and sugar and bring to a simmer.

Slide the tofu in and shake the wok rather than stirring. Simmer for 4 minutes.

Stir the cornflour slurry and add it in two goes, moving the tofu with the back of a ladle, until the sauce clings rather than pools.

Take the wok off the heat.

Scatter over the ground Sichuan pepper, the spring onion greens and the chilli oil, and serve at once with rice.