Chilli Chicken

If Sichuan cooking comes in at 8 on the chilli scale of 1–10, Hunan dishes can top 11! This sister province, while leaning heavily on Sichuan culinary techniques, goes one better when adding the hot pod. Strangely though, this high-octane chicken dish does not scorch the tongue so much as tantalize it – the better to savour the flavour of the whole dish. Most diners do not eat the dried chilli pieces, but you can do so if you want an other-world experience.