September 2025

A fascinating and complex cold dish that lives up to its name. “Guài Wèi” or “Strange Flavor” does not mean unpleasant; rather, it describes the unique and harmonious combination of multiple distinct flavors in one sauce—typically numbing, spicy, sweet, sour,...

A close cousin to Sichuan Boiled Fish, this dish applies the same dramatic “water-boiling” technique to beef. Thin slices of beef are marinated in egg white and starch to ensure extreme tenderness, then they are gently poached in a vast...

Arguably Sichuan’s most famous noodle export, Dan Dan Noodles are a street food classic. The name comes from the carrying pole (dan dan) vendors used to hawk the noodles. The dish consists of a base of Chinese wheat noodles topped...

A famous cold appetizer with a provocative name, this dish originated from a street vendor couple in Chengdu who creatively used offal to make a flavorful snack. Despite its name, it typically contains no lung; the main ingredients are thinly...

A deceptively simple dish that showcases the textural genius of Sichuan cuisine. Fresh green beans are not boiled or steamed but are instead dry-fried in a wok with only a small amount of oil over medium heat for a long time. This...

A cornerstone of Sichuanese cuisine, Kung Pao Chicken is a world-renowned dish that perfectly embodies the complex and addictive flavor profile of the region: málà – the numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns combined with the heat of chili peppers. The dish features...

A dish that exemplifies the Sichuan cooking method of “water-boiling” (shuǐ zhǔ), which is anything but bland. It involves cooking protein in a complex, intensely flavorful broth that is laden with dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns, resulting in a dish...

Perhaps the most famously misnamed dish, “Fish-Fragrant” (Yuxiang) does not contain any fish. Instead, it refers to a classic Sichuanese sauce combination traditionally used for cooking fish, characterized by its balance of spicy, sweet, sour, and salty flavors. The sauce...

A cornerstone of Sichuan home cooking, Huí Guō Ròu literally means “meat returned to the wok.” This refers to its unique two-step cooking process: a large chunk of pork belly is first boiled with ginger and scallions until tender and...

A legendary dish from Sichuan, Mapo Tofu is arguably the most famous Chinese dish in the world. Its name translates to “Pockmarked Grandmother’s Tofu,” allegedly named after the wife of a Qing Dynasty restaurateur. This dish is a masterclass in...