Beijing noodles with fried bean sauce (Zhajiang mian)

1. Finely chop the ginger and garlic and slice the white part of the spring onions; mix the tianmianjiang with the soy sauce, sugar and water.

2. Heat the oil in the wok and fry the minced pork over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until the fat renders and the meat browns slightly.

3. Add the ginger, garlic and spring onion and fry for 1 minute until fragrant.

4. Pour in the sauce mixture and simmer gently, stirring often, for 10 minutes until thick and glossy, with oil appearing on the surface.

5. Meanwhile cut the cucumber into thin matchsticks and dip the bean sprouts in boiling water for 30 seconds; cook the noodles in the water according to the packet and drain.

6. Divide the noodles between bowls, spoon over the sauce, pile the cucumber and sprouts alongside and mix everything together at the table.

Tip: In Beijing this is the classic summer lunch – the cold, crunchy cucumber balances the salty-sweet, deeply savoury sauce. Tianmianjiang is a sweet wheat paste; if you can't find it, use hoisin sauce and leave out the sugar.