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Chengdu Food Adventure: Exploring Sichuan's Spicy Cuisine

Is this the SPICIEST city in CHINA?

Destination:ChinaCity:ChengduPopulation: 16.3 million
Is this the SPICIEST city in CHINA?
Nico12 min

China travel video

Is this the SPICIEST city in CHINA?. This China travel video was filmed by Nico. Watch the full journey and explore the filming details and destinations on this page.

We spent the day looking for some of the spiciest things to eat in Chengdu to see if this is really the spiciest city in China?

Chengdu is known for it's rich Sichuan cuisine and mouth numbing Sichuan peppers but is there more to the cuisine than just spice? We meet back up with our friend Billy who talks us through all the different flavour profiles that Sichuan food has.

--- Nico
July 31, 2023, Summer in China

Travel Guides & Tips in this video

Nico and Billy spend a day exploring Chengdu and the range of Sichuan cuisine. Nico starts with a spicy chicken dish described as a tongue-burning cake, noticing both the heat and the tingling Sichuan peppercorns. At a chili market, he sees different chilies, pickled chilies, ginger and other ingredients, and learns that Sichuan pepper is a prickly ash rather than a true pepper. Later, Billy helps him order at a restaurant, where they try a signature stir-fry with liver and kidney and sample dishes across sweet, sour and savory flavors. They discuss the 24 flavor profiles associated with Sichuan cooking and ingredients such as bamboo shoots and fermented products. The visit challenges the idea that Chengdu food is only spicy.

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Is this the SPICIEST city in CHINA?

Tasting Chengdu's heat and visiting the chili market

Nico and his friend Billy set out to explore Chengdu food, beginning with a dish called tongue-burning cake, a spicy chicken preparation with many peppers. Nico first feels the heat, then notices layers of flavor and the tingling sensation of Sichuan peppercorns. He finds the dish balanced despite its intensity. His experience leads into a broader look at Sichuan cuisine, which is not limited to fiery food.

At a local chili market, Nico sees different varieties of chilies, pickled chilies, ginger and other ingredients used in the region's cooking. He learns that Sichuan peppercorn is not a pepper but comes from prickly ash. The episode also notes that chilies arrived in China later than they did in the UK. The market visit helps explain how different ingredients contribute to the flavors he encounters in restaurants.

A restaurant meal with several flavor profiles

Later, Nico and Billy visit another restaurant and try its signature dish, a stir-fry with liver and kidney. Billy explains that organ meats are common in China and that Sichuan cuisine has 24 distinct flavor profiles. The pair sample dishes that represent more than heat, including sweet, sour and savory flavors. Nico notes ingredients such as bamboo shoots and fermented products and reflects on how the dishes are balanced.

The meal changes his view of Chengdu cooking: spice is one part of a much wider range. Billy helps him navigate the menu and choose a balanced selection. Nico closes by asking viewers about their preference for spicy or milder food and mentions a future video about a traditional tea house. The episode moves from a spicy challenge and a market visit to a meal that shows the variety of Sichuan cuisine.

FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)

Q: What's the most surprising thing you discovered about Sichuan food?
A: Nico learns that Sichuan cuisine includes 24 different flavor profiles, rather than being only about spicy food. The dishes they try also include sweet, sour and savory flavors.
Q: What was your favorite dish?
A: Nico especially likes the dish with pickled long beans, enjoying its complex flavor. It is one of the examples that shows how Sichuan food offers tastes beyond heat.
Q: What's the best way to approach ordering in a Sichuan restaurant?
A: Nico recommends asking a local friend to help choose a balanced meal with a variety of flavors. Billy guides him through the menu and helps them order several dishes.

Previous travel video:

Chengdu Food Adventure: Exploring Sichuan's Spicy Cuisine

We spent the day looking for some of the spiciest things to eat in Chengdu to see if this is really the spiciest city in China? Chengdu is known for it's rich Sichuan cuisine and mouth numbing Sichuan peppers but is there more to the cuisine than just spice? We meet back up with our friend Billy who...

Chengdu Food Tour: Beyond the Spice of Sichuan Cuisine

Discover Chengdu, a city renowned for its fiery Sichuan cuisine. This video dives into the diverse flavors of Sichuan food, exploring more than just the intense spice. Join Nico and Billy as they embark on a culinary adventure, uncovering the rich tapestry of tastes that define Chengdu's gastronomic scene. Prepare to have your taste buds tantalized!

Attractions in this video: Chili Market