Biang biang noodles with gochujang-braised pork and bok choi

Start by making the biang biang noodles. Mix together the flour and salt in a large bowl, then add the water bit by bit, stirring as you go

Knead for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth, then divide into eight even pieces and roll each one into a log-like shape. Lightly coat each one in oil 

Leave the logs to rest, covered, for an hour

Next, make the pork belly. First we’re going to blanch the pork to get rid of any scum. Add the chunks to a pot and cover with cold water

Bring the water to a simmer and, once the pork turns opaque, remove the pork from the water

Rinse any scum off the pork and set it aside

Place a clean saucepan over medium heat, then add in the oil and sugar. Once the sugar has melted, add in the pork

Brown the pork on all sides, then reduce the heat to low and add in the remaining ingredients

Turn up the heat and, once the sauce is at a simmer, cover tightly. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for an hour until the pork is fork-tender. You might need to add more water as it cooks, so top up the water as needed

While the pork is cooking, prepare the sizzling oil. Add all the ingredients for the sizzling oil, apart from the oil itself, to a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, or a large heatproof bowl

Add the oil to a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat to 140°C 

Carefully pour the hot oil over the aromatics – it will bubble up a lot, so stand back and do it in increments if needed

Set aside to infuse while you make the remaining components

Once the pork belly is tender, remove the lid from the pot. Bring the sauce up to a simmer, and then let it reduce until you have a thick, sticky glaze

For the bok choi, heat the vegetable oil over high in a frying pan. Add the bok choi to the pan flat-side down, and sear until nice and golden

Turn the heat down, then add in the water and sesame oil. Cover with a lid and steam the bok choy for 2–4 minutes, or until cooked through and tender

Once the dough has rested, bring a large pot of water to the boil for the noodles, and lightly dust two large oven trays with flour

Roll out each of the logs using a greased rolling pin into thin rectangles slightly longer and wider than your rolling pin, on a lightly oiled surface. Make an indent lengthwise in the centre of the rolled out dough using a chopstick or the handle of a thin wooden spoon

Hold the dough by its two short sides and stretch it out, slapping it against the table as you go to help it stretch. The ‘biang’ sound of the noodles slapping against the table is where biang biang noodles get their name!

Use the middle thin indent you made earlier to separate the noodle lengthwise into two very long, very thin pieces 

Use the middle thin indent you made earlier to separate the noodle lengthwise into two very long, very thin pieces 

Lay the noodles stretched out – not in a little nest – on a floured tray. Biang biang noodles have a tendency to stick to themselves, so it’s important to make sure they aren’t left in a clump. To avoid this, you can also stretch and cook the noodles to order – two logs makes one portion

Stretch the remaining portions of noodles, and lay them out on the floured trays, trying to make sure they don’t touch the other noodles as much as possible

Cook the noodles in the water for a couple minutes, or until they are tender – the exact time will depend on how thick your noodles are. We recommend doing this in batches of two noodles at a time, fishing the noodles out and straining them in a strainer once they’re done, and then repeating with the remaining noodles

Once cooked and strained, toss them with all the chilli oil, then divide between the serving bowls. Garnish with the bok choi, a generous spoonful of the pork belly, a wedge of lemon, coriander and sesame seeds