<strong>Numbing-and-hot hotpot: </strong>Many restaurants offer divided hotpots, so diners can cook their food in either a seething cauldron of chilies or a mildly flavored broth.
Numbing-and-hot hotpot: Many restaurants offer divided hotpots, so diners can cook their food in either a seething cauldron of chilies or a mildly flavored broth.
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<strong>Zhong shui jiao (Zhong dumplings): </strong>Named after a local street vendor, Zhong dumplings are one of the most popular snacks in Sichuan capital Chengdu.
Zhong shui jiao (Zhong dumplings): Named after a local street vendor, Zhong dumplings are one of the most popular snacks in Sichuan capital Chengdu.
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<strong>Shui zhu yu (water-boiled fish):</strong> This dish is a dramatic centerpiece of poached fish in a great sea of sizzling oil, thick with dried chilies and Sichuan pepper.
Shui zhu yu (water-boiled fish): This dish is a dramatic centerpiece of poached fish in a great sea of sizzling oil, thick with dried chilies and Sichuan pepper.
Elaine Yu/CNN
<strong>Mapo doufu (Pock-marked old woman's tofu):</strong> If you ever thought tofu was boring, mapo tofu will make you think again. It's a delicious concoction of tender tofu, minced beef or pork, Sichuan chili bean sauce and ground Sichuan pepper.
Mapo doufu (Pock-marked old woman's tofu): If you ever thought tofu was boring, mapo tofu will make you think again. It's a delicious concoction of tender tofu, minced beef or pork, Sichuan chili bean sauce and ground Sichuan pepper.
Elaine Yu/CNN
<strong>Liang ban ji (cold chicken): </strong>Sichuanese cold chicken dishes, made with poached chicken bathed in a spicy sauce, are simple yet sensational.
Liang ban ji (cold chicken): Sichuanese cold chicken dishes, made with poached chicken bathed in a spicy sauce, are simple yet sensational.
Elaine Yu/CNN
<strong>Seasonal greens: </strong>Dry-fried green beans, a signature dish often made with Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, ginger, scallions, mustard root and ground pork, has a delightful burst of flavors.
Seasonal greens: Dry-fried green beans, a signature dish often made with Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, ginger, scallions, mustard root and ground pork, has a delightful burst of flavors.
Elaine Yu/CNN
<strong>Yu xiang qie zi (fish-fragrant eggplant): </strong>Made with pickled chilies, classic "fish-fragrant" sauces have base notes of sweet and sour, which pair perfectly with eggplant.
Yu xiang qie zi (fish-fragrant eggplant): Made with pickled chilies, classic "fish-fragrant" sauces have base notes of sweet and sour, which pair perfectly with eggplant.
Elaine Yu/CNN
<strong>Hui guo rou (twice-cooked pork): </strong>This homely stir-fry of sizzling pork is first boiled, then sliced and fried.
Hui guo rou (twice-cooked pork): This homely stir-fry of sizzling pork is first boiled, then sliced and fried.
Elaine Yu/CNN