Fish-fragrant pork strips (Yuxiang rousi)

1. Soak the wood ear mushrooms in lukewarm water for 20 minutes, trim off the hard parts and cut into strips; cut the pork leg into matchsticks and mix with the soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine and cornflour.

2. Cut the bamboo shoots and carrot into thin strips, finely chop the garlic and ginger and slice the spring onions.

3. In a small bowl, mix the sauce ingredients: black rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, cornflour and water.

4. Heat half the oil in the wok and stir-fry the pork strips, separating them, for 1-2 minutes until they turn white, then remove.

5. In the remaining oil, fry the doubanjiang for half a minute until the oil turns red, add the garlic and ginger, then the mushrooms, bamboo shoots and carrot, and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

6. Return the pork, pour in the sauce and toss until it thickens and turns glossy; sprinkle with the spring onions and serve with rice.

Tip: There's no fish in it: "fish-fragrant" refers to the seasoning used for cooking fish in Sichuan – sweet, sour, spicy and garlicky all at once. For perfect balance, taste the sauce before pouring it into the wok.