Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SÌCHUĀN
Famed as China's fieriest food, Sìchuān cuisine must be approached with caution and lots
of chilled H 2 O or beer. A concoction of searing red chillies (introduced by Spanish
traders in the early Qing dynasty), star anise, peppercorns and pungent 'flower pepper' (
huājiāo
), a numbing herb peculiar to this cuisine, Sìchuān dishes are simmered to allow
the chilli peppers time to seep into the food. Meats are often marinated, pickled or other-
wise processed before cooking, which is generally by stir- or explode-frying.
Landlocked Sìchuān is a long way from the coast, so pork, poultry, legumes and
dòufu
(bean curd) are commonly used, and supplemented by a variety of wild condiments and
mountain products, such as mushrooms and other fungi, as well as bamboo shoots.
Seasonings are heavy: the red chilli is often used in conjunction with Sìchuān pepper-
corns, garlic, ginger and onions. Hallmark dishes include camphor-smoked duck, Granny
Ma's bean curd (
Mápó dòufu
) and spicy chicken with peanuts
(gōng bǎo jī dīng)
.
