In a small jar, combine the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, chili-garlic sauce and vegetable broth. Cover and shake well.

Drain the tofu, wrap it in a clean thin dish towel and gently squeeze it using the palms of your hands to remove excess water. If you’re not using thawed tofu, press it for 15 minutes instead.

Slice the tofu in half vertically, then slice each block crosswise into squares about ⅓-inch thick. Gently press down with a towel to get the water out and repeat a few times.

In a small bowl, combine the white pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, five-spice powder (if using) and arrowroot powder. Transfer the mixture to a small fine-mesh sieve.

Arrange the tofu tightly spaced on a cutting board. Sprinkle the top with half of the salt, then dust with half of the spice mixture. Flip the tofu, sprinkle with the rest of the salt, and dust with the rest of the spice mixture.

Line a cutting board or large plate with paper towels.

Heat a flat-bottomed wok over medium-high until it just starts to smoke. Then add the oil and tilt the pan to coat the lower sides. Reduce the heat to medium and add the tofu, standing back to avoid splatter. (Or, heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet with the oil over medium-high for a few minutes, then add the tofu.) Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, shaking the pan every minute for even cooking, until golden brown on the bottom. Flip the tofu and repeat this process for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown but not charred on the bottom (if using a wok, the center pieces will cook faster). Transfer to the paper towel-lined surface. Wipe out the pan.

While the tofu fries, cook the noodles per the package instructions. Drain and toss with the sesame oil.

Heat the wok (or skillet) over high until it just starts to smoke, then add the oil. Add the green beans with a tiny pinch of salt and spread in a single layer as much as possible. Cook undisturbed until beans start to blister, 1 minute. Toss and cook undisturbed for 90 seconds (if not using a wok, the beans might need a minute longer). Add the ginger, garlic and white and light green parts of the scallions and toss frequently until aromatic, 1 minute.

Pour in the sauce, standing back to avoid splatter. Stir-fry until the beans are crisp-tender and the sauce has reduced a bit, another 2 minutes. (If you’re not using a wok, you might need an extra minute or two for the sauce to reduce.)

Turn off the heat and add the noodles, reserved scallion greens, cilantro and sesame seeds. Use tongs to toss the noodles in the sauce. Add the fried tofu and use a spatula to gently incorporate.