Douchi Peperoncino Made in a Wok

Fill a large pot with plenty of water and bring it to a boil. A regular pot is recommended, since an iron wok oxidizes easily with salt.

Once the water boils, add salt to make a 1% salt solution. Measure carefully according to the volume of water in the pot (2L, 3L, etc.).

Add the pasta and boil for the time indicated on the package.

Put the sliced garlic and dried red chili into the wok while it is still cold, pour in the oil, and heat over very low heat to draw out the aroma.

When the garlic turns a nice golden brown, lift it out before it burns and set it aside on a separate plate. It keeps cooking from residual heat, so remove it early.

Add 1 teaspoon of douchi to the aromatic oil. With the heat off, let the residual heat gently bring out the aroma, and leave it as is.

One minute before the pasta is done, add the cabbage to the pot and boil it along with the pasta. Boiling draws out the umami of its amino acids and its sweetness.

Thirty seconds before the pasta is done, turn on the heat under the wok with the douchi oil and warm it to bring out the aroma of the douchi.

Lift out the noodles and add a little of the pasta water to the wok to lightly emulsify it.

Add the drained pasta to the wok and toss.

Add just a touch of soy sauce for aroma, and once the scent of the douchi has spread evenly, it is done.

Plate it, top with the garlic chips you fried earlier, and finish with the dried red chili on top.