Since the Sichuan pepper is so significant to almost all the cooking here in Chengdu we wanted to share some more details about these tiny and powerful peppers. Despite the fact that many provinces in China can (and do) grow these tiny buds, Sichuan peppercorns are named for this province (likely) because they are consumed so frequently here. As small as a pencil's eraser, these peppercorns aren't just spicy enough to send tingles up the back of your head, they also have a numbing effect on your mouth! They are used in the majority of dishes here: whether tossed with a simple steamed vegetable, at the heart of the spice mixture on your chicken, or in the oil that adds all the flavor to a noodle bowl. |
Chinese Dumplings
*Note: most dumpling wrappers are circular, not square like pictured.
- Pick up a dumpling wrapper and hold it in your slightly cupped hand.
- With your free hand, spoon a small amount of the dumpling's filling into the center of the wrapper.
- Picking up a chopstick, dip one end into the bowl of water and spread a small amount of water across half of the wrappers edges.
- Fold the wrapper in half, but don't apply too much pressure, at first the only point that you want to stick to together is at the top center of the dumpling.
- To either side of the center point, the wrapper should be pleated in order to form a better seal and to create the typical half-moon shape.
- Once all dumplings have been formed, boil a pot of slightly salted water.
- With a slotted spoon place the dumplings in the water, one at a time.
- When the dumplings float, they're done!
- If you have any remaining, you can fry the leftovers.
Sichuan Hot Pot
The typical Sichuan hot pot experience begins as you walk in the door to a noisy, crowed restaurant and are greeted with the sight of all sorts of meat and vegetables on skewers awaiting a hungry hot pot eater to choose it. Each table is set up with a bubbling pot of spicy stock, and diners take their skewers of meat (anything from chicken to pork brains) and vegetables and cook them in their pot.
Our experience was quite a bit different. While we both had our reservations about the typical experience, we knew we definitely would be unable to eat the oil in most restaurants as they are made with chicken/beef stock. We had our 'hot pot' in a vegetarian restaurant we had both heard of during our first week here. Vegetarian Lifestyle had 5 different flavors to choose from and we decided to try two of them: the 'typical' Sichuan flavored hot pot, and the Thai yellow curry hot pot that we both oohed over when we saw it on the menu. Both dishes arrived with their individual ingredients already cooked in the cast iron pot, the Sichuan flavored hot pot was spicy and was flavored similarly to many of the dishes we've had here (the taste of Sichuan peppercorns was very prevalent) and the yellow curry hot pot was just what we expected: vegetables, coconut milk, glass noodles, and that hint of curry that was just right.
Basic Sichuan Hot Pot Recipe
Recipe Ingredients:
| Ideas for other ingredients Starches:
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- Table prep: Arrange the chicken, beef and shrimp on a serving platter. Drain the mushrooms and remove and discard the stems. Squeeze out the excess water and arrange on a platter with the cabbage, noodles and bean sprouts. Place the chili oil and Sichuan pepper in small dipping bowls.
- To prepare the hot pot, in a large fondue pot over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the rice wine, black bean-garlic sauce, soy sauce, salt and hot bean sauce. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, skimming off any froth that accumulates on the surface.
- Using pot holders, carefully place the fondue pot with the hot broth on the stand and keep warm according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Each diner should skewer their own selection of meats and shrimp, 1 or 2 pieces at a time, onto fondue forks, then cook in the hot stock. You may want to dip the cooked food in the chili oil or Sichuan pepper before eating. (Be sure to remove the food from the hot fork first!) When all the meat and shrimp have been cooked and eaten, add the mushrooms, cabbage, noodles and bean sprouts to the stock and heat through. Ladle into bowls and eat as a soup.