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Fascinating
Food
Szechwan Cuisine
by Kirsten Hawkins
The cuisine of the
Western region of China is well-known for its spiciness, but many
Western palates overlook the complex interplay of savory, sour, hot
and sweet flavors that underlie the fiery spice of the Szechwan
pepper and other spices that give the Szechwan cuisine its
characteristic burn.
For decades, most
of the world was familiar mainly with Cantonese cuisine, and thought
of it as 'Chinese cuisine'. In reality, though, China is an enormous
country that encompasses nearly every kind of climate imaginable.
The amazing
variety of foods, spices and climates have led to many distinct
styles of Chinese cuisine. Szechwan cuisine, originating in a steamy,
sub-tropical climate, includes smoked, pickled and spiced foods, as
well as foods spiced with a heavy hand for both preservation and flavor.
While the Szechwan
pepper, a fruit that grows in the Chongging province, has always been
used in Szechwan cooking, most agree that it wasn't until Christopher
Columbus brought the chili back from his travels. Besides the flavors
that sear the mouth, Szechwan cooking uses an interplay of flavors to
create the full impact of a dish. Hot and Sour Soup, for instance,
when prepared properly is neither exclusively hot, nor ultimately
sour. Prepared with sorrel, lemongrass, tofu and other spices, its
first impression is the heady, rich scent of roast meat and sour
lemon. That aroma is belied at the first touch on the tongue - the
soup is salty first, though not intensely so. The subtle blending of
flavors melds, changing in the mouth to mildly sour - the sorrel and
lemongrass making themselves known. It is not until the mouthful of
soup has been swallowed that the fire sets in as the chili oil
finally seeps into the taste buds.
This is not
unusual for Szechwan cooking. The first mouthful of Kung Pao chicken
seldom brings tears to your eyes. It is only as you chew and swallow
and take yet another bite that the true heat of the dish begins to
assert itself. Double Cooked Spicy Pork seems almost bland at first,
with the flavors blending subtly in the background until the intense
fire of the chili oil in which the pork is fried suddenly flames in
your mouth.
There's more than
fire to Szechwan cuisine though. Smoked meats are common, and the
smoking often makes use of unusual materials and flavors. Szechwan
Tea-Smoked Duck is a delicacy that combines the flavors of citrus and
ginger and garlic, juxtaposing them with a long, slow cooking over a
fire laced with oolong and green tea leaves. The result is a
succulent meat that melts in the mouth and leaves behind a hint of
gingered orange.
One tradition of
Szechwan cuisine that is becoming more common in the Western world is
the Szechwan Hot Pot. Similar to a 'fondue', a Hot Pot is more an
event than a meal. Chunks and slices of raw meat, seafood and
vegetables are offered to diners at a table that holds a 'Hot Pot' -
a pot of chili oil over a flame. Each diner selects their food and
dips it in the chili oil until it is cooked. Often, hosts will also
offer a pot of simple broth for those guests who prefer a more bland
meal, or can't tolerate the spiciness of food fried in chili oil.
Savory, rich and
spicy, Szechwan cuisine is cuisine based on intensity - intensely
hot, intensely sour, and intensely delicious.
About The Author
Kirsten Hawkins
is a food and nutrition expert specializing the Mexican, Chinese, and
Italian food. Visit http://www.food-and-nutrition.com for more
information on cooking delicious and healthy meals. |
