Sweet water noodles

Ingredients

• 400g (14 oz) 00 flour
• 200ml (7 fl oz) cold water
• 8g (1½ tsp) salt
• 100ml (3½ fl oz) soy sauce
• 25g (1 oz) brown sugar
• 1 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 black cardamom pod
• 2 tbsp Korean chilli flakes
• 50ml (1¾ fl oz) peanut oil
• 2 tbsp crispy chilli oil
• 1 tbsp Szechuan peppercorns, lightly pounded
• 100g (3½ oz) roasted peanuts, crushed
• 1 tsp MSG (optional)
• 1 tsp sugar
• extra Szechuan peppercorns, pounded

Directions

1. To make the noodles, add the flour, 8g of salt, and 200ml cold water to a bowl and mix. Once the dough forms a shaggy mass, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 minutes.
2. After kneading, let the dough rest under a damp cloth for 15 minutes. Then roll the dough out and fold it like a letter. Repeat the rolling and folding process twice more, then rest the dough for another 15 minutes.
3. After resting, knead the dough for another 2 minutes, then repeat the rolling and folding process. Rest for 15 minutes and fold twice more.
4. After 4 rounds of resting and folding, roll the dough out to 5mm (¼ inch) thick. Cut the dough into 5mm wide strips, so the noodles are 5mm by 5mm. Dust them lightly with flour.
5. To make the sweet water sauce, add the soy sauce, brown sugar, star anise, cinnamon stick, and black cardamom to a pot. Bring to a simmer, reduce by one-third, strain, and cool. Set aside.
6. For the chilli oil, place the Korean chilli flakes in a heatproof bowl. Heat the peanut oil until it just starts to smoke, then pour it over the chilli flakes. Stir in the crispy chilli oil and mix well.
7. When ready to serve, have all your ingredients prepared: sweet water sauce, chilli oil, crushed peanuts, MSG, sugar, and crushed Szechuan peppercorns.
8. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and blanch the noodles for 3-4 minutes. Place one portion of noodles into a small bowl and add ¼ teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns, 2 teaspoons crushed peanuts, ¼ teaspoon MSG, ¼ teaspoon sugar, 3 teaspoons sweet water sauce, and 2 teaspoons chilli oil.
9. Mix well, and it’s ready to serve!