Bitspicy’s founder, Andrew, says: ‘When I was a student at the Anglo-Chinese School in Singapore there was a hawker in the playground selling mee, or noodle soup. I used to really look forward to it, and was always disappointed when she wasn’t there and I had to find an alternative lunch. It cost 10 cents and was the perfect traditional street food. It has taken a long time to recreate this recipe, and indeed my wife used to complain that it was so authentic there was nothing in it, and could we not have more than two pieces of pork?!’

Per person:

• Allow ½ pint chicken stock (a stock cube is fine!)

• Grind ½ tsp szechwan pepper if you can get it, otherwise ordinary black pepper

• 1 tsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• 1 bird’s eye chilli, green or red, finely chopped (not for the faint-hearted!)

• 1 spring onion, finely chopped

• 1 cake dried thin egg noodles, or wheat noodles (never the instant variety!)

• half a pak choi pulled into leaves, or several leaves of chinese leaf, shredded

• More than 2 pieces of the char sui (see our recipe here)

1. Place the stock in a saucepan with the pepper, soy sauce and sesame oil. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile place the noodles in a bowl and pour boiling water over. Leave for 5-8 minutes, drain and separate the noodles with a fork.

3. Place the noodles in individual soup bowl(s) with the spring onion and chilli.

4. Add the pork and a couple of pieces of Chinese leaf or pak choi and pour the hot stock into the bowl. Serve with soy sauce and chilli sauce, to taste.