Spicy Sichuan cooking

Sichuan, as well as being the most populous province in western China, leads the way in the region’s cooking. The cuisine of this province is often described as being a baptism of gustatory fire, and Sichuan cooking is typified by bold combinations of flavours in a single dish.

Many Sichuan recipes certainly do live up to their fiery reputation, using large quantities of spicy chillies and other robust flavourings, but there are also dishes that are not touched by chillies or pungent Sichuan peppercorns. The sophistication and diversity of Sichuan cuisine is reflected in the vast range of traditional recipes, which local gourmets claim stretch to some 5,000 different dishes, with superlative examples of taste and texture.