Get the water on. Fill your large pot with well-salted water and set it over high heat. You want it at a rolling boil before the noodles go in — a lazy simmer gives you gluey pasta, and nobody wants that.

Whisk the sauce. In a jug or bowl, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, chilli paste, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Pour in the warm water a splash at a time, whisking until the mixture turns smooth, glossy, and the colour of caramel. Taste it — it should be salty, nutty, and warm with heat at the back of your throat.

Boil the noodles. Drop the noodles into the boiling water and cook according to the packet, usually 8–10 minutes for spaghetti. They're ready when they bend without snapping but still have a slight bite in the centre. Scoop out a mugful of the starchy cooking water before you drain them — you'll thank yourself later.

Sear the chicken. While the noodles cook, heat the neutral oil in your large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken strips in a single layer. They should hiss the moment they touch the pan. Leave them undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until the underside is deeply golden, then flip and cook another 3 minutes until just cooked through and no longer pink inside.

Add the vegetables. Toss the carrots, red pepper, and most of the spring onions into the pan with the chicken. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes. The peppers should soften slightly and turn a brighter, glossier red, while the carrots keep a bit of crunch.

Bring it together. Tip the drained noodles into the pan, then pour the peanut sauce over the top. Using your tongs, lift and toss everything for a full minute so the sauce coats each strand. If it looks thick or clumpy, add the reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until it flows like double cream.

Finish and serve. Scatter over the crushed peanuts and remaining spring onions. Serve straight from the pan while everything is still steaming and the peanuts are at their crunchiest.