Sichuan cuisine is one of the four major culinary traditions of China. To be considered one of the "Great Cuisines" of China, one can imagine how delicious its flavors are and how comprehensive its variety is. Sichuan cuisine is mainly characterized by spiciness, catering to the general palate. So, do you know how to cook Sichuan dishes? How can you make Sichuan cuisine delicious? Below, the editor will introduce you to a complete guide of Sichuan recipes.
Mapo Tofu
Mapo Tofu
Ingredients
Soft tofu (silken tofu), minced beef or pork, a little fermented black beans, green onions (garlic chives are best), minced ginger, minced garlic, a little Pixian chili bean paste, and starch water.
Instructions
1. Cut the green onions into small sections. Mince the ginger and garlic (the amount of garlic should be double that of ginger, a 2:1 ratio).
2. Peel the tofu and cut it into small cubes. Place it in a pot of cold water (add a little salt to the water). Heat over medium-low heat. Before the water boils, pour it into a colander to drain.
3. While the tofu is cooking, heat a new pot without oil. Add the minced meat and stir-fry slowly over low heat until it turns a deep brown and becomes crispy. Add the minced ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant. Add 1 tablespoon of chili bean paste and stir-fry until the red oil comes out.
4. Add a few fermented black beans. Add broth or water (the amount should be enough to cover the tofu). Add a little cooking wine and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce for color. Simmer for 5-6 minutes, keeping the heat at a medium level to prevent the tofu from breaking apart.
5. After it comes to a boil, thicken with a starch slurry (this is usually done in two additions). After the first thickening, add the green onions, then thicken a second time.
6. Finally, add a little hot oil along the edge of the wok. Turn the heat to high and wait until the oil floats to the surface.
7. When plating, add Sichuan peppercorn powder. Do not add too much.
Pro Tips
I'm a huge fan of Mapo Tofu and make it often. Using this method, the Mapo Tofu is rich in flavor and goes perfectly with rice. You must be patient when stir-frying the minced meat; it's only delicious when it's crispy. It's best to use soft tofu for this dish. Although it's a bit more challenging to cook than firm tofu, its smooth and silky texture is absolutely amazing.
Boiled Pork Slices
Ingredients
1000g of pork belly, half a head of Napa cabbage, a few wood ear mushrooms, 50g of Pixian chili bean paste, 50g of dried chili peppers, 20g of Sichuan peppercorns, 1 star anise, 1 piece of ginger, half a head of garlic, half a green onion, 10g of white pepper, 1 spoon of Quanxing Daqu baijiu, 1 bowl of bone broth, and salt to taste.
House-style Boiled Pork Slices
Instructions
1. Heat oil and stir-fry the Pixian chili bean paste, dried chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, ginger, and garlic until fragrant and a fragrant, spicy red oil is formed. Set aside some of the stir-fried chilies and peppercorns.
2. In another pot, use 1/3 of the fragrant, spicy red oil to stir-fry the Napa cabbage for a few minutes.
3. After a few minutes, pour the cabbage into a large bowl.
4. Use 2/3 of the fragrant, spicy red oil, add the bone broth and wood ear mushrooms, and bring to a boil.
5. Add the pork slices.
6. Once it boils, splash with baijiu, add white pepper and salt to season.
7. Pour everything into a basin lined with the cabbage. Sprinkle with some chopped green onions. Finally, heat oil in a wok until it smokes. Sprinkle the reserved stir-fried chilies and peppercorns over the pork. Quickly pour the hot oil into the basin. A fragrant basin of Boiled Pork Slices is ready.
Fish-flavored Shredded Pork
Ingredients
300g of pork tenderloin, 1 green chili pepper, 1/4 of a carrot, 1/2 of a winter bamboo shoot, 6 wood ear mushrooms, marinating sauce for pork (5ml soy sauce, 5ml cooking wine, 20ml starch water), fish-flavored sauce (5ml soy sauce, 15ml vinegar, 45g sugar, 1g salt, 20ml starch water), 80ml vegetable oil, appropriate amount of chopped green onion, ginger, and garlic, and 4-5 Sichuan pickled chili peppers.
Fish-flavored Shredded Pork
Instructions
1. Shred the pork tenderloin and marinate it with the marinating sauce for about ten minutes.
2. Shred the green chili pepper, carrot, and winter bamboo shoot separately. Soak the wood ear mushrooms until soft, wash them, and shred them.
3. Prepare the fish-flavored sauce in advance. Chop the green onion, ginger, and garlic. Mince the pickled chili peppers.
4. Heat a generous amount of oil in a wok. When the oil is about 60-70% hot, add the shredded pork and quickly stir-fry over high heat until it turns white. Remove and set aside.
5. Add a little oil to the wok. Add the chopped green onion, ginger, and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the minced pickled chili peppers and stir-fry until the red oil comes out.
6. Add the carrot, winter bamboo shoot, and wood ear mushrooms and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the green chili pepper and stir-fry until well combined.
7. Add the stir-fried shredded pork and quickly stir-fry to combine.
8. Pour in the fish-flavored sauce and quickly stir-fry until everything is evenly coated.
Pro Tips
1. Marinating and stir-frying the pork: The pork should be marinated in advance and quickly stir-fried over high heat to ensure it remains tender and juicy.
2. Choice of vegetables: The typical vegetables for Fish-flavored Shredded Pork include winter bamboo shoot, wood ear mushrooms, green chili peppers (or hot peppers), and carrots. Generally, the winter bamboo shoot is essential, while the others are optional.
mapo tofu
Home-cooked boiled pork
The country depends on geese