5 Classic Sichuan Dishes

1.Mapo Tofu

Mapo Tofu is a dish that I make all the time, so let's dive into the world of comforting flavors. This classic recipe calls for 250g of firm tofu, but you can also use softer tofu if you like it that way. You can use 50g of ground beef for the meat, but pork is just as good if you like it better.

We need a mix of aromatic and spicy things for the seasonings. These are 5g of minced garlic, 5g of minced pickled ginger, 5g of chopped pickled chili, and 5g of small chili peppers (bullet chilis work well too). Add 4g of Sichuan peppercorns for that unmistakable tingle, 10g of fermented black beans, 15g of doubanjiang (spicy bean paste), 2g of sugar for sweetness, and 3ml of dark soy sauce to make the color darker. We'll add salt, pepper, and MSG to taste, thicken it with about 8g of cornstarch, and mix it all together with 75g of broth. A sprinkle of 3g of chopped green onions will finish it off.

This is how we do it:

1. First, cut the tofu into cubes that are about 1.5 cm (2 cm works too), rinse them, and set them aside. Next, wash the beef well and chop it into small pieces.

2. Next, we will blanch the tofu. Put it in boiling water with a pinch of salt, then quickly move it to ice water. This little trick is all about getting rid of the beany taste and making the tofu more chewy.

3. In a pan, heat some oil over low heat and gently cook the chilies and Sichuan peppercorns until they smell good. Take them off the heat, chop them up, and put them aside for later.

4. Heat some oil in a new pan before adding the ground beef. Stir in the garlic, pickled ginger, chopped pickled chili, fermented black beans, and doubanjiang after it has cooked all the way through and smells good. When it smells good, add the broth, tofu, salt, and dark soy sauce. Let it cook for 3 to 5 minutes, then add pepper and MSG to taste.

5. Now let's make it thicker. Mix the cornstarch with water, then add two-thirds of it to the pot while stirring slowly. After about 20 seconds, add the rest of the cornstarch and stir until everything is well mixed. To serve, put it on plates and top with green onions.

Some tips to make it perfect:

• When it comes to tofu and meat, it's all about what you like.- Frying the chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns before chopping them up brings out their flavors, which makes your tofu dish smell even better.
• Let the tofu soak up all those great flavors by simmering it on medium heat before thickening the sauce.
• Choose broth over water for a more flavorful drink.
• To get the right texture and flavor, thicken the sauce in two steps.
• For those who want more heat, a sprinkle of chili and Sichuan pepper flakes on top of the dish will do the trick.

2.Couple's Lung Slices

Next up is a dish that will definitely pique your interest: Couple's Lung Slices. This dish calls for 2500g of beef slices and the same amount of different types of beef offal, such as tongue and tripe.

To make this dish, you'll need 175g of red oil chili sauce, crispy fried peanuts for crunch, 2500g of braising liquid for depth, 150g of soy sauce, 100g of sesame powder, and a mix of spices that includes 35g of ground Sichuan peppercorns, 10g of MSG, eight star anise pods, 5g of whole Sichuan peppercorns, 10g of cinnamon sticks, 125g of fine salt, and a splash of 75ml of Chinese rice wine.

This is how to make it:

1. Clean the beef and offal well and cut the beef into 500g pieces.

2. Boil the beef and offal to get rid of any blood impurities. Then, put them in a pot with the master stock spices, rock salt, rice wine, and enough water. Bring to a boil over high heat for about 30 minutes, then lower the heat and let it simmer for 90 minutes, or until it is soft but not mushy. After that, let them cool down.

3. To make the sauce, boil the master stock for 10 minutes, then add the MSG, red oil chili sauce, soy sauce, and ground Sichuan peppercorns.

4. Cut the cooled beef and offal into thin strips, mix them with the sauce, and top with crushed peanuts and sesame powder.

3.Crispy Rice Pork Slices

Crispy Rice Pork Slices is the next dish that will add a nice crunch to your meal. You will need 1000g of rice that has been turned into crispy rice, 130g of sliced pork, 80g of sliced bamboo shoots and green celery, 50g of wood ear mushrooms, and 30g of tomato slices.

We use a mix of ginger and garlic slices, pickled chilies, green onion sections, broth, salt, MSG, sugar, vinegar, dark soy sauce, cornstarch, and cooking oil as needed to season.

Let's get cooking

1. Steam the rice, then put it in a small iron pot. Put it on low heat until it gets crispy.

2. Blanch the tomatoes, bamboo shoots, green celery, and wood ear mushrooms together, then drain.

3. In a pan, heat some oil and fry the pork with ginger, garlic, pickled chilies, and green onions until it smells good. Mix in the blanched vegetables, add enough broth, and season. Before you put it aside, add cornstarch to make it a little thicker.

4. Fry a piece of crispy rice in hot oil until it turns golden and puffy. Put the pork and veggie mix on top of the crispy rice and pour the hot juices over it.

Important tips

• Use only as many pickled chilies as you need to make the food taste better without making it too hot. - The oil needs to be hot when frying crispy rice to get that golden puffiness quickly. Keep an eye on the time so you don't overcook.

4.Sautéed Fish

Sautéed Fish is a must-try for people who like spicy food. This recipe calls for 800g of mandarin fish and a lot of spices, such as 200g of dried Erjingtiao peppers, 50g of ginger slices and scallion segments, 50g of white sesame seeds, 25g of cilantro stems, 10g of chopped scallions, 35g of Pixian doubanjiang, 10g of ground Sichuan pepper, 25g of minced ginger and garlic, 100ml of cooking wine, and a pot of red soup with pickled chilies. It's important to season with salt, sugar, powdered white pepper, MSG, chicken essence, sesame oil, Sichuan pepper oil, and salad oil.

how to cook

1. Coarsely grind the Erjingtiao peppers and put them aside.

2. Score the fish deeply, then marinate it in ginger, scallions, salt, MSG, and cooking wine. Fry it until it smells good. Put it in spicy red soup for a short time, then put it on a plate and top it with cilantro stems.

3. In a clean pan, fry the doubanjiang, minced ginger, garlic, and white sesame seeds until they smell good. Put the ground Erjingtiao pepper flakes on top of the fish, season it well, and then pour it over the fish. Add scallion flowers as a garnish.

Important tips

• Choose a bright red, slightly spicy one Erjingtiao peppers add a pleasant smell and taste without being too strong.- Make sure the seasoning is just right and the flame is moderate for the best sauté.
• For better flavor absorption and a fragrant finish, cut deeply into thicker fish.

5.Spicy Chicken

The last dish is the Spicy Chicken, which adds heat to your mouth. To make this, you'll need 250g of chicken thighs, 10g of small chili peppers and Erjingtiao peppers, 8g of Jinyang prickly ash, 10g of scallion segments and ginger slices, 5g of granulated sugar, and a mix of salt, powdered white pepper, MSG, 3g of white sesame seeds, 200ml of cooking oil, 3ml of Chinese rice wine, 10ml of Shaoxing wine, and 4ml of dark soy sauce.

How to cooking

1. Wash the chicken thighs and cut them into pieces that are easy to eat. Make sure to get rid of any extra water. Get the chilis ready.

2. For 25 minutes, stir the chicken with soy sauce, salt, chopped scallions, ginger, white pepper, and rice wine.

3. In a deep skillet, heat the oil and fry the chicken until it is 80% done. Take it off the heat, turn it up, and put the chicken back on to crisp up the outside.

4. Add more oil and cook the chilies and prickly ash until they smell good. Then add the ginger and scallions. Add the fried chicken and season it with sugar, salt, white pepper, Shaoxing wine, and MSG. Fry for 15 seconds, add sesame seeds, and serve.

Main Points:

• For the best taste, fresh chicken is better than frozen.
• For the best flavor, make sure the chicken is well-drained before marinating.
• Double frying the chicken makes it crispy and makes the dish smell better.
• A splash of Shaoxing wine right before the end helps get rid of any gamey taste and adds a layer of smell.
• Adding sugar at the end balances the spice and makes the flavor more complex.