I got the idea for these beans when I was travelling in China a few years ago. The Sichuan pepper makes your tongue tingle. They keep warm in a wok quite well, so I go them ready ahead of going to the theatre and they were ready to simply heat when we returned. You can cool the effect down a little and add a creamy element by serving with flagellated feta. The play we saw was The Secret Adversary, a 1920s Agatha Christie adapted play starring sweetheart sleuths Tommy and Tuppence…. tuppence? Priceless would be a better description: delightful, frothy fun.

Recipe for tongue-tingling green beans

For four

• 400g/14 oz green beans
• 3 spring onions, including about an inch (3 cms) of the green part, sliced thin
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 inch (3 cms) of fresh ginger
• 10 sichuan pepper corns
• 4 tbsp sesame oil
• Smoked salt

1. Cut off the ends of the beans, and cut into manageable lengths – about 1½ inches/5 cm
2. Crush the peeled garlic cloves with the smoked salt
3. Chop the ginger finely or grate
4. Cook the beans either in the microwave or boil them – about four minutes either way
5. Meanwhile crush the peppercorns in a mortar and pestle
6. Drain the beans
7. Heat the oil in a wok, add the peppercorns
8. About a minute later add the spring onion, the garlic and the ginger
9. Stir
10. About a minute later add the drained beans and stir for a minute or two