Start the new year with healthy Sichuan-style cold noodles

For most, there will be at least a tinge of regret over all that recent festive feasting.

To ease yourself into healthy eating, try this dish of Sichuan-style cold noodles. I used mung bean wide noodles.

The packet said to boil the noodles for up to nine minutes, but it took 20 minutes before they turned translucent and tender but still springy.

Use the peppercorn oil sparingly - a little goes a long way.

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INGREDIENTS

• 2 chicken legs (with skin)
• ½ tsp salt
• 20g ginger, sliced into 3 thick slices
• 1 stalk spring onion, cut into 5cm lengths
• 350ml ice water
• 70g black fungus
• 2.5 litres water
• 225g mung bean wide noodles
• 12 ice cubes
• 80g carrot, shredded
• 1 stalk Chinese celery, finely sliced
• ½ stalk spring onion, finely sliced
• ½ red finger chilli, deseeded and finely sliced

Seasoning for noodles

• 1 tbsp sesame paste
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp chilli oil
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorn oil

METHOD

1. Rub salt all over chicken legs.

2. Place 2 ginger slices and half of spring onion (5cm lengths) on bottom of plate.

3. Place chicken legs on top and add remaining ginger and spring onion (5cm lengths).

4. Steam on high heat for 20 minutes.

5. Remove chicken legs from steamer and plunge into ice water. Soak for 6 minutes then remove and pat dry.

6. Discard skin and debone. Slice and set aside. Discard bones.

7. Blanch black fungus for 3 minutes.

8. Remove any hard bits and slice thinly. Set aside.

9. In a pot, bring 2.5 litres of water to a boil.

10. Add in noodles and boil until noodles turn completely translucent.

11. Transfer noodles into a large sieve or colander and discard boiling liquid.

12. Rinse noodles and add ice cubes.

13. Once noodles are chilled, discard ice and transfer into a deep serving dish.

14. Place black fungus and shredded carrot on top of the noodles.

15. In a bowl, place sesame paste, light soy sauce, salt, chilli oil and Sichuan peppercorn oil. Mix well.

16. Pour seasoning mix over noodles and toss noodles so that seasoning is evenly distributed.

17. Place shredded chicken on top.

18. Garnish with the Chinese celery, spring onion and chilli, and serve.