“I simply think texture is an important and underrated part of a dish in the Western conception of cuisine. Americans like to focus on crunch, but in Chinese cooking, chewiness is also valued. Nian gao has the perfect texture when fried. It’s crunchy, chewy, and it sticks just enough to make the taste linger in the mouth, so you enjoy it longer. The simplicity of the flavour allows you to focus on the way it feels on your tongue,” he says, sweeping the peanuts into a bowl and moving onto what looks like lemongrass.