Crispy chicken with Sichuan dan-dan noodles

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 2 tbsp shrimp paste

• 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry

• 1 tbsp ginger juice, squeezed from 50g/2oz grated root ginger

• 2 tsp caster sugar

• 2 tsp sesame oil

• 1 tsp light soy sauce

• 1x 1kg/2lb 4oz whole chicken, jointed, bones removed, flesh chopped into pieces

• 600ml/1 pint groundnut or vegetable oil, for deep frying

• 50g/2oz plain flour or potato flour, for dusting

• 3 tbsp finely chopped spring onions

For the Sichuan dan-dan noodles

• 1 tbsp groundnut or vegetable oil

• 110g/4oz Sichuan preserved cabbage, rinsed, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic

• 2 tsp finely chopped root ginger

• 2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry

• 2 tbsp chilli bean sauce

• 1 tbsp Chinese sesame paste or peanut butter

• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce

• 1 tbsp caster sugar

• 450ml/16fl oz chicken stock

• 225g/8oz Chinese noodles, cooked according to packet instructions, drained