Sichuan cuisine

The four major substyles of Sichuanese cuisine include Shanghebang, Xiaohebang, Xiahebang, and Buddhist vegetarian style. Shanghebang is represented by Chengdu and Leshan; Xiaohebang by Zigong (which is also known for a genre of dishes called yanbangcai), Yibin, Luzhou, and Neijiang; and Xiahebang by Chongqing and Dazhou.

Sichuanese cuisine is renowned for fiery and bold tastes, particularly the pungency and spiciness resulting from liberal use of garlic and chilis, as well as the unique flavors of Sichuan (Szechuan) pepper. Some examples are Kung Pao chicken and Yuxiang shredded pork.

UNESCO declared Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, a city of gastronomy in 2011.

History

Sichuan cuisine is thought to have originated during the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period, the beginning of Qin and Han dynasties, and the formation of classical Sichuan cuisine in Han and Jin dynasties. In the Tang and Song Dynasties, Sichuan cuisine was developed further, and Sichuan restaurants spread throughout Kaifeng and Lin'an. During the Song dynasty, Sichuan cuisine became a distinct cuisine.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Sichuan cuisine developed further until the foundation of the modern Republic of China. Modern Sichuan cuisine eventually formed the characteristics of "rich variety", and "strong taste and spicy".

Chili peppers were introduced into Sichuan and widely used in Sichuan cuisine during the Kangxi period, which was a watershed between ancient Sichuan cuisine and modern Sichuan cuisine. The book "Flower Mirror" written and published by Chen Xiuzi in 1688 states in volume five: "Pepper, a sea mad vine, commonly known as spicy eggplant……the most spicy, used by many people, very fine, winter moon to replace pepper. [sic]"

In the Middle Ages, Sichuan welcomed Middle Eastern crops, such as broad beans, sesame and walnuts. Since the 16th century, the list of major crops in Sichuan has even been lengthened by New World newcomers. The chili pepper is native to Mexico, and likely arrived in Sichuan province from India or Macau, complementing the traditional Sichuan (Szechuan) peppercorns. Other newcomers from the New World included corn, which largely replaced millet; white potatoes introduced by Catholic missions; and sweet potatoes. The population of Sichuan was cut by about 75% in the wars from the Ming dynasty to the Qing dynasty. Settlers from the adjacent Hunan Province brought their cooking styles with them.

Sichuan is colloquially known as the "heavenly country" due to its abundance of food and natural resources. One ancient Chinese account declared that the "people of Sichuan uphold good flavors, and they are fond of hot and spicy taste." Most Sichuan dishes are spicy, although a typical meal includes nonspicy dishes to cool the palate. Sichuan cuisine is composed of seven basic tastes: sweet, sour, numbingly spicy, spicy, bitter, fragrant/aromatic, and salty. Sichuan food is divided into five different types: sumptuous banquet, ordinary banquet, popular foods, household-style food and snacks. Milder versions of Sichuan dishes remain a staple of American Chinese cuisine.

Wang Dayu, in the Sichuan cuisine history strategy by the Committee on Literature and History of the CPPCC, considers Sichuan cuisine to be roughly divided into Chengdu Bang, Chongqing Bang, Dahe Bang, and Xiaohe Bang categories.