Broccoli florets oven-charred first to draw out the sweetness and put colour on the edges, then thrown into a wok with dried Kashmiri chillies, cashews and a kung pao sauce that hits sweet, sour and smoky in one mouthful. A Sichuan classic recast for the home cook.

The original kung pao chicken (gong bao ji ding) comes from the Sichuan repertoire, named for the Qing-dynasty governor Ding Baozhen who held the official title of Gong Bao. The defining flavour is gongbao weixing: a balance of sweet, sour, salty and spicy held together with hoisin and oyster. Swapping the chicken for broccoli keeps the architecture and lightens the bowl.

Kashmiri chillies are mild but deeply red, so they give colour without setting the dish on fire. Fry them in oil first until they go fragrant and almost black; this is the base note the whole sauce sits on. The peanuts get added at the end so they stay crunchy.

Serve over jasmine rice or steamed short-grain. A wedge of lime on the side, sliced spring onion on top, chilli oil on the table for whoever wants to push the heat further. Tsingtao beer or jasmine tea alongside.