Sichuan cuisine

Overall of the Sichuan cuisine

For thousands of years, with the Chinese cuisine culture, due to different natural, geographical and climatic conditions, as well as different resource endowment and cooking methods. Eight culinary schools are gradually formed, that are Shandong, Sichuan, Jiangsu, Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, Hunan and Anhui cuisines.

In Sichuan cuisine, different dishes enjoy different tastes. Two dishes on the same table cannot have the same taste. Some are spicy, some are slightly spicy, some medium spicy, and some not spicy. Many people say all Sichuan dishes are spicy. They cannot stand the Sichuan peppercorn or spicy flavor. In fact, spicy dishes account for only one third in Sichuan cuisine, which has more than 20 recognized flavors, adding innovative flavors by studying other culinary schools, there are more than 40 flavors.

The history of Sichuan cuisine

Sichuan cuisine has a long history. According to the research, in Qin and Han Dynasties, Classic Sichuan cuisine had started. Till Tang to Song Dynasties, unprecedented prosperity was seen in Sichuan catering culture. Fueled by famous Chinese literati, Li Bai (701A.D.-762A.D.) and Du Fu (712A.D.-770A.D.) Su Shi (1037A.D.-1101A.D.) and Lu You (1125A.D.-1210A.D.), classic Sichuan cuisine in Song Dynasty had developed into an independent culinary school. It was said that Dongpo pork shoulder popular today was created by Su Dongpo (Su Shi), a great man of letters from Sichuan origin. It may be said as a typical example of classic Sichuan cuisine.

Modern Sichuan cuisine we have today has been much different from those in the times of Li Bai and Su Shi. Until pepper was introduced into Sichuan, modern Sichuan cuisine has gradually started coming into being. The rise of modern Sichuan cuisine shall be attributed to two large-scale immigration since the Qing Dynasty. The famous one is “Huguang province filled Sichuan province.”

During the period at the end of the Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty, Sichuan experienced a war tumult for nearly eighty years, and the population in Sichuan sharply reduced. Just because of this, we call this migration as “Huguang province fill Sichuan province” and many people came. Such a large migration brought from various places like the flavored foods cooking methods and the use of the material in Sichuan. So these might be the most direct historical reasons to create rich and inclusive Sichuan cuisine.

During the Anti-Japanese War, Chongqing became the provisional capital of China. A lot of people swarmed into Sichuan which further enriched Sichuan cuisine. Till then, modern Sichuan cuisine developed very maturely. On November 5, 1982, Deng Xiaoping, Chairman of Central Advisory Commission held a banquet in Sichuan Restaurant in Beijing. On the menu for the banquet celebrating the sixtieth birthday of Cambodian Chairman Prince Sihanouk, the first dish is boiled cabbage, which is the most famous Sichuan cuisine.

Why do Sichuan people like to eat spicy food

In “Records of Huayang State” of the Jin Dynasty (265 A.D.-420 A.D.), Sichuan people liked spiciness and fragrance, upheld the tastes. Since in Sichuan it is humid, the rains frequently and there is short sunshine time, the Sichuan people like Sichuan peppercorn and ginger, cornel and other spicy substances to expel humidity and prevent moisture.

Sichuan peppercorn the Red-Robe only grow in Sichuan Province. In Ming and Qing Dynasties, it served as the tribute to the court, being in red robe means it was very precious. Now Sichuan peppercorn consists of red Sichuan peppercorn and green Sichuan peppercorn. Many people thought this green Sichuan peppercorn is the status before the maturity of red Sichuan peppercorn. But in fact, Green Sichuan peppercorn is green Sichuan peppercorn. It is still green when it has been dry. The green Sichuan peppercorn in Jinyang is the best in Sichuan. The red Sichuan peppercorn in Hanyuan is the best in Sichuan.

Sichuan peppercorn, ginger, and cornel was called three fragrances and were the three most traditional spicy seasonings in China. The change of the pattern for three traditional fragrances in China started from the invasion of species in a large scale at the end of the Ming Dynasty. And potato, corn, tomato, sweet potato, and pepper also came to China at that period. People originated from South America. After Columbus discovered the New Continent in the fifteenth century, pepper was taken back to Europe and started its global journey.

The essence of Sichuan cuisine

More importantly, the introduction of pepper changed the habit of the Chinese. Pepper was introduced into China as an ornamental plant instead of as food. Half a century later, it comes to Sichuan. At that moment, Sichuan people saw red pepper and tasted it, possibly finding it was more special than our own spicy foods, such as mustard, cornel. It was spicier more insistent and more direct. This spiciness also contains fragrance, so the Sichuan people come to like it. Pepper is rich in vitamins and capsaicin. Having pepper can promote blood circulation, expel coldness and moisture.

In the agricultural farming period, the coming of people was undoubtedly a God-given treasure for the people working in the field. The places are moist and cold in winter with little sunshine, such as Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou, Jiangxi and Sichuan Provinces, the habit of eating pepper gradually spread. So there is the saying that “Sichuan people don't fear spiciness; Guizhou people fear no spiciness; Hunan people fear the missing of spiciness.” When pepper came to Sichuan, the Sichuan people kept the habit of liking Ma and added spiciness into the foods at the same time to form the Ma and spicy pattern of modern Sichuan cuisine. This is a marvelous combination, so people call it a rare romantic affair in the dietary history of the world. They were predestined to be a couple of lovers, but the fate separated them with so much distance and so many years before they come together. And probably just because they are too far both in time and in the distance, when they meet together, they cannot separate from each other and exert such a large charm. Frost’s Descent is the best season in the harvest in autumn and store in winter when the pepper wholesale market in Chengdu is very boisterous.

Pepper is called chili pepper by the Sichuan people. Probably, it is the reason of the pepper came from outside China. This is Erjingtiao (pepper) in Sichuan, which is mainly produced in the Mumashan region of Chengdu. It is very good because it is not very spicy, but it is very fragrant. It has the fragrance of pepper. Advantageous natural and geographical conditions create native materials for Sichuan cuisine. For the Chengdu people living well off, the only regret is the lack of sunshine in their life. While the clever Sichuan people bring their sunshine onto the table.

Mapo Tofu 麻婆豆腐

The highest click ratio should surely resort to Mapo Tofu, and hotness into fullest play. It is characterized by spiciness, hotness, crispness, tenderness, integrity. First, Ma comes from Sichuan peppercorns. The spiciness comes from thick broad-bean sauce and pepper powder. Hotness mainly speaks the temperature of this dish. Crispness means the mashed beef in it. Tenderness means the taste of Tofu in the mouth. When dressing in starchy sauce, it is required to slightly shake and push the pot to make the cooked Tofu without losing its orderly shape.

Mapo Tofu History

 It was said that in the first year of the Tongzhi Period of the Qing Dynasty, besides Wanfu Bridge, outside the north gate of Chengdu City, there was a mom-and-pop shop named Chen. The wife was very good at cooking the Tofu dishes. The passing small tradesmen and porters would often stop here for a rest. Since the wife had pockmarks in the face, the clients called her Map, Mao Chen, who cooked Tofu very carefully and chose the materials very delicately, so that her Tofu was very popular. As time passed, her Tofu was called Mapo Tofu.

Mapo Tofu is characterized by Ma(Sichuan peppercorn spiciness), spiciness, hotness, fragrance, crispness, freshness, tenderness, liveliness, Without Sichuan peppercorns or spiciness, this dish would not have such rich taste.

Double cooked pork slices 回锅肉

In the eyes of the old cooks of Sichuan cuisine, the most popular cuisine in Sichuan which is capable of representing Sichuan cuisine is double-cooked pork slices. The making is very uniform. Second-cut hindquarter pork shoulder is chosen, which is named because counting from the tip of the hindquarter, the pork from the first cut is too fast, the second cut has the fat and thin pork mixed properly. Thus it is called second-cut pork. In Sichuan, the second-cut pork was sent to mother-in-law during the Chinese Spring Festival, so it was precious. What makes double-cooked pork slices different from common stir-fried pork slices, is not the lies in the choice of the pork but more importantly in the preparation of the ingredient.

Fried shredded pork with sweet and sour sauce 鱼香肉丝

The unique fish flavor in Sichuan cuisine, which does not come from fish, but it creates the flavor like that in fish. It is completely related to the concept of creating something from nothing in the Chinese culture core.

The cooks of Sichuan cuisine combine Sichuan peppercorns and pepper with thick broad-bean sauce, pickled pepper, Chinese onion, ginger, and garlic to create unique flavors, among which the commonest one is fried shredded pork with sweet and sour sauce. It highlights the fish flavor, but there is no fish in it. Its main flavor characteristics are salty, fresh, sour, spicy and sweet. The flavors of Chinese onion, ginger, and garlic are highlighted. The fish flavor is the common flavor in Sichuan cuisine. Fried shredded pork with sweet and sour sauce, saute prawn meatballs of Chongqing style, and shredded eggplant of Sichuan style have fish flavor but without fish in them. How the cooks of Sichuan cuisine create the fish flavor without fish? The key is to fry the garlic sauce; particularly it is required that bring the sweet smell of pickled pepper, Chinese onion, ginger, and garlic out before adding the seasonings. In this, sour, sweet, salty, spicy, Chinese onion, ginger, and garlic tastes should be sensed. This is a special place for fish flavor in Sichuan cuisine. 

Steamed Chinese Cabbage in Supreme Soup 开水白菜

Steamed Chinese Cabbage in Supreme Soup is one of the classic Sichuan dishes. It is a delicacy in the high- level banquet of Sichuan cuisine because it is very fastidious about the materials and is also very complex in the cooking process. The cabbage should be Chinese cabbage from Beijing with leaving only the tender core of four or five leaves inside. In the past, the Chinese cabbage weighed at least two hundred kg just for ten persons.

For the making of boiled cabbage, after it is scalded, it has to be soaked with clear soup. With this, the taste of clear soup comes into the cabbage. Finally, this clear soup will not be used; then cabbage is lifted out of the clear soup and put into clear soup for the second soaking and close the cover for steaming. This way the cabbage is well cooked. The secret of boiled cabbage lies in cleat soup looking like the boiled water. Clear soup has to be made on the same day and cannot be done overnight. And the soup shall be made with pork rib, aged chicken, aged duck, and ham. After more than ten hours of stewing, the clear soup is filtered out, the pork filler is made into minced meat, and the soup is stirred three times then the soup is cleared three times with the minced chicken breast fillet. The soup is clear; the tender Chinese cabbage flows in the clear soup just like a lotus flower rising from underwater.

The origin of boiled cabbage

For the origin of boiled cabbage, there was a legendary story. It was said that in the period of the Republic of China, Huang Jinglin (1873A.D.-1941A.D.) a man of letters in Chengdu opened a private home cuisine restaurant called Auntie’s Banquet in Chengdu dialect, it is made for play. During the Anti-Japanese War, many learned cooks came from the South of Yangtze River to Chengdu, among whom many cooked the cuisine, on the one hand, chanted the poems in Tang and Song Dynasties on the other hand. Then were very scholarly and learned and thought Sichuan cuisine was delicious but was not elegant. When Huang Jinglin, as a man of letters, made Auntie’s Banquet, he was not convinced but created this boiled cabbage. When Huang Jinglin completed the boiled cabbage and brought it onto the dining table, those cooks from the South of Yangtze River looked at a plate of cabbage looking bland and showed no interest in it. Suddenly someone tasted it thoughtlessly and constantly praised just for having the supreme taste in the human world. It makes you feel at ease, and you cannot feel any delicious taste. But when it is so closely related to our tongues, it cannot be separated because it is not simply you taste it, but it seems your tongue has become a part of delicacies. It has been superior to such an extent. The presentation of boiled cabbage rendered the learned cooks from the South of Yangtze River speechless, who said nothing but praised and praised truly elegant, truly elegant. Then this boiled cabbage became a holy dish in classic Sichuan cuisine.

After Sichuan Restaurant in Beijing was established in 1959, the Sichuan cuisine cooks brought the boiled cabbage there, which became an indispensable cuisine for significant banquets at that period. Raw materials for Sichuan cuisine many come from common sources instead of constantly striving for a high grade because of our national condition in China. Besides, Sichuan cuisine has various flavors that can accord with the tastes of persons from various places. Today, what makes Sichuan cuisine popular is closely related to the reformist touch of modern Sichuan cuisine from its very birth. Every reform keeps a close pace with time. Different dishes have different tastes; two dishes don’t have the same flavor. Modern Sichuan cuisine good at Ma (Sichuan peppercorn spiciness) and spiciness never stop the pursuit for flavors to create fashion and health while being spicy. This maybe is what makes Sichuan cuisine successful. 

7 flavors of Sichuan cuisine

Sichuan cuisine has rich flavors. The famous flavor is fish flavor, spicy, hot pepper, dried tangerine or orange peel, pepper and chili, odd flavor, hot and sour flavor.

1 Fish flavor

Materials: Onion ginger garlic 1. Pickled peppers 0.5. Sichuan broad bean pastes 2 sugar 1.5. Vinegar 1.5. Soy sauce, Cooking wine, monosodium glutamate.

Cooking method: First fry the Onions, ginger, garlic, pickled peppers, Stir-fry bean paste out of the red oil, mixed with other ingredients. Color is red and tastes sweet, sour, hot, is not too strong.

The sauce can make Fried shredded pork with sweet and sour sauce, Eggplant with Garlic Sauce.

2 Spicy flavor

Materials: Sichuan peppercorns 0.5Dried chili 0.3 Sichuan broad bean paste with 3. 1. Sugar1 vinegar 1. Green onion, ginger, garlic, wine, soy sauce, monosodium glutamate.

How to cook:  dry red pepper fried until brown, and saute Sichuan peppercorns, Stir-fry green ginger garlic. To take hemp taste, they still can add some Sichuan peppercorns. Characteristic is the red color and spicy fresh sweet, slightly sweet and sour. The sauce can make Mapo tofu.

3 Hot pepper flavor

Materials: Sichuan bean paste1, Sugar 0.3, vinegar 0.3, onion, ginger, garlic and soy sauce, monosodium glutamate, cooking wine.

How to cook: First saute the Onions, ginger, garlic. Then Stir-fry bean paste out of the red oil, mixed with other ingredients. It is characterized by a very slightly sweet and sour taste. The sauce can make spicy chili chicken.

4 Orange peel flavor

Materials: dried pepper 1. Sichuan bean paste 3. Sugar 2. tangerine peel 2. Soy sauce, monosodium glutamate, onion, ginger, garlic and cooking wine.

The recipe is to fry the dried pepper and then stir-fry the Sichuan peppercorns. If you use a piece of orange peel, you can also add and stir-fry. If you use the dried tangerine peel, you can sprinkle it in when the cooking is finished. Stir-fry onion, ginger, garlic and then stir in the Sichuan broad bean paste, then add soup and other ingredients. The flavor is spicy with orange peel’s special aromatic smell which can be made of beef with orange peel.

5 Pepper and chili flavor

Green onion 10. Sichuan peppercorns 2. Sugar 2. Vinegar 2. MSG, fresh soup a little.

How to cook: The recipe is to soak the Sichuan peppercorns in wine overnight, then chop it with the green onion and cut into the fine mud, with soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and other materials. The characteristic is spicy, full of delicious taste and salty. It can make spiced chicken with chili sauce.

6 Odd flavor

Sichuan bean paste 1. Sesame paste 1. Sugar 0.8. Vinegar 0.8. Pepper powder 0.05. Oil 1. Green onions 0.1, garlic, 0.1. Soy sauce, fresh soup in moderation.

How to cook: The recipe is to fry the Sichuan bean paste to turn red color, with fresh soup to mix the sesame paste, plus all the ingredients to mix it. The characteristic is hot, ma, sweet, sour, salty, fresh, the aroma is integrated. It can be made smell chicken, strange duck, etc.

7 Hot and sour flavor

The sour’s proportion: Sichuan bean paste 1, sugar 0.6, vinegar 0.9, Green onions, ginger, garlic and cooking wine, soy sauce, fresh soup, red oil.

How to cook: The recipe is stir-fried green onions, ginger, garlic, and bean paste, then mixed with other ingredients.

The spicy proportion: white pepper 0.8, vinegar 6, green onion 6, sesame oil a few.

The former characteristic is sour and spicy, slightly sweet. The latter is spicy and refreshing, salty. 

Chinese Great Eight Cuisines

1. Shandong Cuisines: Salty fresh, thick oil sauce, food therapy health;
2. Sichuan Cuisines: Heavy oil, heavy salt, spicy hot;
3. Cantonese Cuisines: Original, salty, fresh and light;
4. Jiangsu Cuisines: Sweet and yellow wine;
5. Fujian Cuisines: Salty-sweet (southern), spicy (northern);
6. AnHui Cuisines: Heavy oil, heavy salt;
7. Hunan Cuisines: Heavy oil, heavy salt, heavy spicy, preserved flavor;
8. Zhejiang Cuisines: Special, fresh, tender, with yellow wine.