How to reduce spiciness when enjoying Sichuan cuisine

China Eat Sichuan food with warm tea, dip it in water before eating or eat it cold to reduce the spiciness while still enjoying the delicate flavor of the dish.

Sichuan is located in southwestern China, famous not only for the World Heritage site of Jiuzhaigou but also for its spicy cuisine with chili peppers being an indispensable ingredient in most dishes. Chili peppers combined with spices such as pepper, fennel, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, bean paste, cloves, and star anise form the distinct core of Sichuan cuisine.

Sichuan food is especially popular among Chinese people, mainly coming from the Chengdu and Chongqing regions. Famous dishes include tofu with sauce, Chongqing dry chili fried chicken, Sichuan Dan Dan noodles, and Sichuan hot pot.

Dried Chili Fried Chicken in Sichuan Food Menu — Dried chilli chicken on chef Hoo Chee Keong's Sichuan menu from Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant. Photo: *Pan Pacific*

Because spiciness is the dominant flavor, Sichuan cuisine is not for everyone, especially diners who cannot eat spicy food. However, there are still a few tips to effectively reduce the spiciness when enjoying it, according to the instructions of Ms. Linda Loke, Culinary Director, in charge of a chain of Sichuan restaurants and Lan Minglu, a chef specializing in Sichuan cuisine.

- When the tongue or throat is numb, spicy, or numb, diners should drink warm tea to reduce the spiciness. Do not drink cold drinks, iced water, or carbonated soft drinks, which can increase the feeling of heat and numbness.

- According to Chinese medicine, ingredients that are cool, warm or neutral have an effect on the body's energy or qi. Therefore, if you cannot eat spicy food well, you should eat it with cooling ingredients, such as asparagus, cucumber, celery, lettuce, green leafy vegetables and eggplant.

- Some of the spiciest Sichuan dishes, like Sichuan Chili Chicken, are served cold. By choosing a cold dish, you will reduce the intensity of the chili and enjoy the subtle flavors of the dish.

- Don't eat too much spicy food in one meal or a week. In addition, when enjoying Sichuan dishes that contain a lot of chili oil, you should scoop each piece into the bowl of broth before eating. "Dipping each dish into the broth or watery dishes during the meal will clean most of the chili oil, while the dish is still delicious," said Ms. Lan Minglu.

Tam Anh

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