Feel the Burn: Sichuan Cuisine Is Meant To Be Hot!

Originated from southwest China, the seductive Sichuan cuisine is renowned for its hot and spicy flavours, which have captured the public imagination – not to mention global palates! – in recent years. It is perhaps the most popular regional cuisine in China, captivating people’s taste buds with its bold, and often mind-blowing, delicacies.

As an old Sichuan saying goes, “One dish with one flavour, with one hundred dishes come hundred flavours.” This exquisite cuisine is especially famous for its artful use of seasonings, which form the basis for hundreds of astonishing flavours. Some of the crucial spices used include black pepper, ginger, garlic, shallots and broad bean chili paste – and, of course, the remarkable Sichuan peppercorn and chili peppers.

SEDUCTIVE AROMA

Surprisingly, Sichuan cuisine wasn’t born hot and peppery: it became that way after the romantic encounter of the south American chili and the Sichuanese peppercorn 300 years ago.

At the very beginning, Sichuan was part of the Shu kingdom in the Three Kingdoms dynasty (220-280). People in the kingdom loved sweet food, while hot dishes were rare back in those days. Later, pungent food emerged during the Jin dynasty (265-420). Still, unlike the piquant dishes well-received by people nowadays, ‘pungent’ food at that time comprised mainly mild dishes seasoned by onion, ginger, chives or mustard. It was in the 15th century that Columbus discovered chili pepper from South America, and these new food wonders were first exported to China in the 16th century. At first, chili peppers were treated as ornamental plants only. Not until the late 17th century did the chili pepper finally get to meet its long-lost lover, the native Sichuan peppercorn: they came together as culinary seasonings on the Sichuanese’s flaming wok.

Sooner or later, the locals realised that the burning chili and the mouth-numbing peppercorn matched well. The bright red chili ignited fire in the mouth, while the citrus scented peppercorn gave an electric shock which tingled the lips and the tongue. The two combined to create a unique taste and sensation, to which no other seasonings could aspire. Eventually, the perfect couple gave Sichuan cuisine its soul.

Since then, Sichuan cuisine has burst into life and embarked on its journey to become the world-famous flaming cuisine. Nowadays, it sets fire around the globe, driving people crazy with the lingering sensation. Its spice, numb, savour and umami, as well as its seductive aroma, make your mouth water. But, of course, the Sichuanese have created tons of delicacies and hundreds of recipes throughout the years, each with its unique flavour and aroma. Restaurants serving ‘Chinese’ food tend to have long menus. As a result, it can be quite difficult to decide which ones to order when you get a seat in a Sichuanese restaurant. But no worries, I’ve got a few essential recommendations for y’all.

Husband and Wife Lung Slices (Fuqi feipian)

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Well, I understand that the name of the dish sounds horrifying, but I swear it has nothing to do with the lungs of the couple. In fact, it is not even associated with lungs. The “Husband and Wife Lung Slices” is the literal translation of the dish’s Chinese name “Fuqi feipian”. It seems more appetizing to call it “Beef Slices in Chili Sauce” or “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”, which is how it sometimes appears on the menus of Sichuan restaurants in western countries.

A popular appetizer in Sichuan, “Fuqi feipian” is made with thinly sliced beef or beef organs and often served cold. Offal such as beef heart, beef tongue and beef tripe are commonly used. Despite its name, lung is a rare pick for the dish.

This savoury dish is flavoured by a generous amount of spices and seasonings such as chili oil, ginger, cinnamon, and most importantly, Sichuan peppercorn. Staying true to its roots, the mouth-watering appetizer tastes both numbing and spicy.

But here’s the vital question: since it has no association with the lungs of any human being, or indeed mammals, why is it called the “Husband and Wife Lung Slices”? Well, here’s the story.

Back in the Qing dynasty, cold beef slices were popular on the streets of Chengdu. Many vendors sold slices of beef offal, as these cow organs were relatively inexpensive. The street delicacy was especially welcomed by rickshaw drivers and students, as it was tasty and affordable to the low-income residents. Among those vendors, there was one married couple, husband Guo Zhaohua and wife Zhang Tianzheng, who were famous for their innovative cold beef slices.

After all the experiments on the ingredients and seasonings of the dish, the enthusiastic couple brought the cold beef slices to a whole new level. They created an appetizing dish which tasted fascinating – and distinct from all cold beef slices sold on the streets. The ingenious dish was well-received by the locals and it brought them a business boom. Sometimes, the impish children would pull a prank on the couple and stick a paper on their back which said “Fuqi feipian”. The Chinese word “Fuqi” means “husband and wife”, and “fei” means “waste parts”, while “pian” refers to the slices of meat. People started to call the dish after the mischievous name created by the children.

However, as the Chinese word “fei” didn’t sound right to the couple (since the word has a negative meaning which refers to wastes), they replaced the word with a homonym which means “lungs” in Chinese. Later, a merchant came to the couple and tasted the well-known “Fuqi feipian”. He found it so tasty that he made the couple a golden plaque with the name “Fuqi feipian” on it. From then on, the dish was named as “Fuqi feipian” which literally means “Husband and Wife Lung Slices”. Though after all, it has nothing to do with the lungs.

So, as a wise diner, don’t be put off by the horribly translated name of the alluring appetizer. Unquestionably, “Fuqi feipian” is a must-order in Sichuan restaurant which you should not miss!

Saliva Chicken (Kou Shui Ji)

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Yeah, you're right, this is just another terribly translated name of a decent Sichuan dish. Again, it has nothing to do with saliva! It’s just so tasty and numbing that makes your mouth water. That’s why some also call it “Mouth-watering Chicken.”

The word “Kou Shui” literally means saliva in Chinese. As seasonings such as chili oil and peppercorns are added to the dish, the spice and numb literally make people ‘drool’. Thus, the dish is named as “Kou Shui Ji”, a chicken which makes your saliva drip.

The luscious chicken is a renowned appetizer in Sichuan. It is poached for a small amount of time, to keep the chicken succulent and tender. After cooking, the juicy chicken is soaked in ice water to tighten the skin. Mingled with Sichuan chili oil and dressed with toasted peanuts and sesame seeds, the alluring chicken is ready to be served.

This cold dish is definitely a must-try for real-deal Sichuan cuisine lovers. And yes, the chicken really is “drool-worthy”.

Twice-cooked Pork (Hui Guo Rou)

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As you already know, Chinese people love to translate the dishes’ name literally. So, it’s not difficult to know that the dish I’m going to introduce you to is cooked twice during the process of making it. It is what it says on the tin: a pork dish that is “twice-cooked”.

The “Twice-cooked Pork”, also called “Hui Guo Rou” in Chinese, is a significant dish in Sichuan cuisine. It is said that if you’ve not eaten “Twice-cooked Pork” before, then you’ve never been to Sichuan. It's undoubtedly one of the top dishes in Sichuan cuisine.

The “Twice-cooked Pork” originated in a religious tradition in Sichuan. Back in the early days, the Sichuanese usually worshipped their ancestors on the 2nd and the 16th (of the Chinese lunar calendar) every month. A piece of pork was frequently simmered and used as sacrifice for the ancestors. People believed that eating the sacrifice after the ceremony would give them the blessings from their ancestor. Thus, they cooked the pork again as a dish for dining.

For the first time it is cooked, no seasonings are added to the pork: only water is used to simmer it. This is to show the people’s respect to the origin of food, to keep it in its natural state and express their gratitude to their ancestors. When it’s cooked for the second time, the pork bursts with umami. Flavourings such as ginger, broad bean paste, sweetened soybean paste, and garlic spouts are added, to stir-fry with the slices of pork. The sweet and spicy dish is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Its tantalizing texture and scrumptious taste make “Twice-cooked Pork” one of the most popular Sichuan dishes across the world.

WHERE TO EAT SICHUAN IN DUBLIN CITY

After all the introductions on the hot and seductive Sichuan dishes, I know it’s almost impossible to stop yourself from drooling. Craving for some Sichuan delicacies? Want to feel the burn of the fiery feast? Just go fetch some! Here are two restaurants in Dublin where you could feed your stomach – and I don’t mean to the other customers!

Located in the “China Town” of Dublin, Sichuan Chilli King (100 Parnell Street Tel: +353 1 878 3400) is one of the best Sichuan restaurants in the city. They offer a variety of Sichuan dishes – basically all the key Sichuan dishes are included. It is recommended not only by the locals, but also by the Chinese themselves. The waiters are friendly and they would be more than glad to introduce you the delicacies on their menus.

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Take a five minutes stroll down the street and you can find the M & L Chinese Restaurant (13-14 Cathedral Street Tel: 01-8748038). If you search for “Sichuan food in Dublin” M & L Chinese Restaurant are ever-presents on the list. This authentic Chinese restaurant is always full during the weekend, overwhelmed with people who crave for an appetizing but inexpensive Sichuan feast. Crowned as one of the 100 top restaurants in McKenna's list of “100 Best Restaurants in Ireland”, M & L Chinese Restaurant will never disappoint!

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So, what are you waiting for? Immerse yourself in the fantasy of Sichuan cuisine and you will get your soul burnt by the scorching Sichuan delicacies! Isn’t that what life is all about?