Salt & pepper chips

• potatoes↗4-5 large floury
• vegetable oil↗5 tbsp tbsp
• black peppercorns↗1 tsp tsp
• Sichuan peppercorns1 tsp tsp
• onion↗1

  finely chopped

• red pepper↗1

  finely chopped

• green pepper↗1

  finely chopped

• garlic cloves↗2

  sliced

• red chilli↗1

  finely sliced

• Chinese five-spice powder½ tsp tsp
• caster sugar↗1 tsp tsp
• sea salt↗1 tsp tsp
• chilli flakes↗½ tsp tsp
• spring onions↗3

  finely sliced

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Cut the potatoes into chunky chips or wedges. Tip into a pan, top up with cold water and bring to a boil. As soon as you see bubbles, simmer gently for 5 mins. Drain carefully and leave to steam dry.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, heat 4 tbsp of the oil in a shallow-lipped baking tray in the top of the oven. Transfer the parboiled chips to the tray, carefully coat in the hot oil and cook for 20-25 mins until golden and crisp, turning halfway through.

3. 3

   While the chips are cooking, toast the peppercorns in a wok or large frying pan for a few mins, then transfer to a pestle and mortar and crush. Heat the remaining in the pan and stir-fry the onion, peppers, garlic and chilli for 5-8 mins over a medium-high heat until the onions and garlic turn golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.

4. 4

   Mix the Chinese five-spice powder, sugar, salt, chilli flakes and ground peppercorns together. Tip the cooked chips into the pan with the veg and return to a medium heat. Toss to combine. Sprinkle in the salt and pepper mixture and the spring onions. Toss everything together for 1-2 mins until evenly coated, then serve straight away with another pinch of sea salt, if you like.