Kung pao chicken

Step 1: Put 1 ⅛ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a bowl with 1 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp Shaoxing rice wine, ¼ tsp salt, 2 tsp cornflour and 1 tbsp cold water and mix with your hand until every cube is coated and the liquid is absorbed. Leave for 10 minutes in the fridge while you prepare everything else. Wash the board and knife used for the raw chicken before cutting anything else.

Step 2: Stir 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar (Chinkiang), 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp cornflour and 3 tbsp chicken stock or water together in a small bowl until the sugar and cornflour dissolve. Set it beside the hob with the aromatics and peanuts.

Step 3: Heat a wok over a high heat until it just smokes, then add 3 tbsp neutral oil and swirl. Lower the heat to medium, add 10 dried red chillies and 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns and stir for 20–30 seconds, until the chillies darken to a deep red and smell toasty. Don't walk away: a common mistake is letting them turn black, which makes the whole dish bitter.

Step 4: Turn the heat up to high, add the chicken and spread it out. Leave it for 30 seconds to sear, then stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, until the cubes are white all over and starting to colour.

Step 5: Add 3 cloves garlic, ½ oz fresh ginger and 4 spring onions and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Cut the biggest cube of chicken in half: it should be white right through, with juices running clear (165°F / 165 °F in the centre).

Step 6: Stir the sauce again, pour it into the wok and toss for 30 seconds, until it thickens into a shiny glaze that coats the chicken.

Step 7: Take the wok off the heat, stir in 2 ⅝ oz roasted unsalted peanuts so they stay crunchy and serve straight away with rice. The chillies are there for flavour; most people leave them on the plate.