Test your taste buds in Chengdu

Isolated Sichuan basin is a melting pot of mouthwatering flavors and hot and spicy dishes

Having always wanted to try delicacies around the world, Kam-Kong Yueng, a 29-year-old British traveler, set off for Chengdu, the Sichuan provincial capital of Southwest China famous for its cuisine.

The mere mention of the city makes food lovers' mouths water and Yueng was not disappointed.

In two days he discovered a number of new favorites.

"My favorite dish is the cold beef tripe, or Fuqi Feipian. The taste of first the chili and then the peppercorn and finally the aged vinegar mixed with the crunchy texture of the liver simply melted on my tongue and tested my taste buds to the full," said Yueng.

The young traveler visited the historical Wuhou temple in downtown Chengdu and ate at a restaurant nearby where dishes like Ma Po Tofu and Shui Zhu Yu were accompanied by homemade rice wine served in a traditional copper holder popular in the Three Kingdoms period (AD220-280).

People deterred by the thought of hot, spicy food can also find their share of dishes to delight their taste buds in Chengdu.

Nicolas Laurent, the 33-year-old former secretary of the Consulate General of the Republic of France in Chengdu, said home-style dishes, such as stir-fried shredded potato and water spinach, are just as tasty and the chili laced dishes.

Xu Liang, head of the Sichuan Food Culture InfoSpace, said it is not just the pursuit of hot, spicy and exotic food that brings people from around the world to the city.

Chengdu experienced four major migrations, from Central Chian's Hunan and Hubei provinces and South China's Guangdong province and Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and is home to a variety of dishes.

"You will be shocked at the diversity of flavors, the depth of tastes and people's devotion to cooking and eating amazing food when you really get to know the city," Xu said.

Beyond pepper, chili Sichuan food goes far beyond pepper and chili. All ingredients are well combined and each dish is delicately created based on various flavors, including the sweet, sour, spicy, bitter and salty.

Every dish is the result of wisdom gleaned over thousands of years, Xu said.

Hotpot soup, for example, contains dozens of traditional Chinese medicine ingredients including cassia, cardamom, cumin and star aniseed, which helps dispel colds and toxins, ease humidity, warm up the body and stomach and fend off colds and coughs.

"Most people only see the chili and pepper, but we have more than that," said Xu.

"Thanks to the four rivers, fertile farmland and natural resources in this province of abundance, we also boast light meals that perfectly preserve the original flavors of the ingredients, including stewed ginkgo and chicken, boiled cabbage, and soup dishes," he said.

The traditional boiled cabbage dish requires more than boiling water, despite its simple name, he said.

The clear but rich tasting soup stock is based on high-quality hen, duck, ham, dried scallop and pork leg. Despite its unimpressive appearance the dish is an exquisite example of fine cuisine, Xu said.

Stewed ginkgo and chicken is another favorite for people in Chengdu as it helps fend off the heat and humidity while filling them up in the baking hot summer. The dish is especially popular with female diners as it is good for the skin and stomach.

Li Ke, deputy director of the Information Office of Chengdu People's Government, said migration during the past few decades has brought food from across the nation to the city, making Chengdu's cuisine one of the most diversified.

"Most of the dishes originated from the civilians, including the well renowned Mapo Tofu and twice cooked pork, and in turn they are very well received with the folks," he said.

"It's amazing that the isolated Sichuan basin comes up with the most exoteric cuisine," said Xu.

A way of life

Despite the various tastes and ingredients, chili and pepper are still the must-have ingredients for every Chengdu dish, Xu said.

"To cope with the humidity in the region, people need to take in more chili and pepper to dispel dampness in the body," said Xu. "It's not only stimulation for the taste buds and the pursuit of exotic favors that make chili and pepper ingredients survive and spread, they make people's lives in the region better."

According to the Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the province produces 1 million tons of pepper each year, including bell pepper and pod pepper. People in the region consume hundreds of thousands of tons of fresh pepper and about 300,000 tons of dried pepper annually.

Xu said in Chengdu you don't need to find spice, as it will find you and thrill you as it reaches your throat.

"In addition, the intense burn releases endorphin in the brain, flooding the body with a major wave of pleasure sensation and makes people happy. Chili is not an option here, it's a must, a way of life," he said.

To cater to the needs of tourists who may not adapt to the taste straight away many restaurants in Chengdu have adjusted seasoning in dishes.

Shi Yana, deputy head of Daimiu hotpot, which welcomed US first lady Michelle Obama during her visit to China, said they replaced the thickly coated beef tallow in the hotpot with vegetable oil to make it more healthy and used less chili and pepper.

"The less spicy hotpot makes it easier for tourists to digest, most of whom are not yet used to the flavors," said Shi.

"We have been making adjustments based on advice from gourmet experts from across the globe and tried to come up with authentic hotpot without losing its essence."