Build-Your-Own Malatang Bowl with Sesame-Chilli Broth

⏱ 40 min · Serves 2

All the fun of a Sichuan street-side malatang stall in one bowl: numbing peppercorns, fragrant chilli oil and a rich sesame-spiked broth loaded with noodles, greens, tofu puffs and thin-sliced beef. Pick and mix whatever's in the fridge — the broth does the heavy lifting.

Per serving: 790 kcal · 42.0g protein · 68.0g carbs · 38.0g fat

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp Sichuan chilli bean paste (doubanjiang)
• 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns, lightly crushed
• 4 dried red chillies, snipped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 thumb ginger, finely chopped
• 2 spring onions, sliced (whites and greens separated)
• 1 star anise
• 1.2 litres chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp Chinese sesame paste (or tahini)
• 150 g thinly sliced beef (shabu-shabu style) or chicken thigh, sliced
• 6 fish balls or 8 prawns
• 60 g tofu puffs, halved
• 100 g fresh shiitake or oyster mushrooms
• 1 small handful wood ear mushrooms, soaked (optional)
• 150 g pak choi or leafy greens, halved
• 1 small handful enoki mushrooms
• 200 g fresh udon, sweet potato noodles or rice noodles
• 2 tsp chilli oil, to serve
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• Handful coriander, chopped
• 1 tbsp black vinegar (optional)

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the Sichuan peppercorns and dried chillies and sizzle 30 seconds until fragrant, not burnt.
2. Stir in the doubanjiang, garlic, ginger, spring onion whites and star anise. Fry 2 minutes until the oil turns deep red.
3. Pour in the stock, add soy sauce and sugar, bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes to build flavour. Strain if you prefer a smooth broth, then return to the pot.
4. Loosen the sesame paste with a few spoonfuls of hot broth until smooth, then whisk it back into the pot.
5. Add the tofu puffs, fish balls, shiitake and wood ear mushrooms and simmer 5 minutes.
6. Cook the noodles separately according to the packet, drain and divide between two deep bowls.
7. Add the enoki, greens and sliced beef to the broth and simmer 2–3 minutes, just until the meat is no longer pink and the greens are tender.
8. Ladle everything over the noodles. Finish with chilli oil, sesame seeds, spring onion greens, coriander and a splash of black vinegar.