Back into three kingdoms, Sichuan area was the kingdom of shu (蜀国) and located in the southwest part of China. Sichuan people at that time liked to eat sweet food. Until Jin Dynasty, people add ginger, onions, chives and mustard into food and the food at that time is called pungent food. So at the very beginning, there is no hot in Chinese Sichuan cuisine. We still can find some dishes carries the traditional flavor such as boiled pork with mashed garlic(蒜泥白肉).
Around200 or 300 years ago, hot peppers were brought into China. And people in this area begin to use hot peppers in their daily cooking. It is recorded that hot peppers were popular among folk.Along with the development of Sichuan cuisine, the unique character of spicy and numb also becomes popular in many Sichuan dishes.

1. Kung Pao Chicken

 Chinese Name: 宫保鸡丁 gōng bǎo jī dīng

 Flavor: sweet, sour and spicy

 

2. Ma Po Tofu

 Chinese Name: 麻婆豆腐 má pó dòu fu

 Flavor: spicy and pungent

 

4. Dandan Noodles

 Chinese Name: 担担面 dàn dàn miàn

 Flavor: spicy and chewy

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