TheoriginofSichuancuisinecanbetracedbacktotheQinandHanDynasties(221BC-220AD),itsrecognitionasadistinctregionalsystemtookplaceintheHanDynasties(206BC-220AD).Asauniquestyleoffood,Sichuancuisinewasfamousmorethan800yearsagoduringtheSouthernSongDynasty(1127-1279)whenSichuanrestaurantswereopenedinLin'an,nowcalledHangzhou,thecapital.ThehotpepperwasintroducedintoChinafromSouthAmericaaroundtheendofthe17thcentury.OnceitcametoSichuan,itbecameafavoredfoodflavoring.InthelateQingDynastyaround19thcentury,Sichuancuisinebecameauniquelocalflavor,enjoyingthesamereputationwithShandong,Guangdong(Canton)andHuaiyangcuisines.
Sichuanhashighhumidityandmanyrainyorovercastdays.Hotpepperhelpsreduceinternaldampness,soitwasusedfrequentlyindishes,andhotdishesbecamethenorminSichuancuisine.Theregion'swarm,humidclimatealsonecessitatessophisticatedfood-preservationtechniqueswhichincludepicking,salting,dryingandsmoking.
Sichuanhasbeenknownasthelandofplentysinceancienttimes.Itproducesabundantdomesticanimals,poultry,andfreshwaterfishandcrayfish.Sichuancuisineiswellknownforcookingfish.Therawmaterialsaredelicaciesfromlandandriver,ediblewildherbs,andthemeatofdomesticanimalsandbirds.BeefismorecommoninSichuancuisinethanitisinotherChinesecuisines,perhapsduetothewidespreaduseofoxenintheregion.Stir-friedbeefisoftencookeduntilchewy,whilesteamedbeefissometimescoatedwithriceflourtoproducerichgravy.
SichuandishesconsistofChengdu,Chongqingandvegetariandishes.Masterlyusedcookingtechniquesaresauteing,stir-fryingwithoutstewing,dry-braising,Pao(soakinginwater)andHui(fryingthenbraisingwithcornfloursauce).Sichuancuisineisfamousforitsdistinctandvariousflavors,themostoutstandingonesarefishflavors,pepperpowderboiledinoil,strangeflavorandsticky-hot.
StatisticsshowthatthenumberofSichuandisheshassurpassed5,000.DishestypicalofSichuanaretwicecookedpork,spicydicedchickenwithpeanuts,dry-friedsharkfin,andfish-flavoredporkshred.OneofthepopulardishesisPockmarkedWoman'sbeancurd(orMapoDoufuinChinese)whichwasinventedbyaChengduchef'spockmarkedwifedecadesagointheQingDynasty(1644-1911).Thecubedbeancurdiscookedoveralowflameinasaucewhichcontainsgroundbeef,chili,andpepper.Whenserved,thebeancurdistender,spicy,andappetizing.AlthoughmanySichuandishesliveuptotheirspicyreputation,oftenignoredarethelargepercentageofrecipesthatuselittleornospiceatall,includingrecipessuchas"teasmokedduck".
经典四川菜菜谱：
回锅肉：红绿相衬，咸中带甜，微辣醇鲜、味浓而香，是四川的传统菜肴。鱼香肉丝：色红肉嫩，鱼香味突出。因模仿民间烹鱼的调料和方法制作，故名鱼香。
宫宝鸡丁：鲜香细嫩、辣而不燥，略带酸甜味。
麻婆豆腐：为四川省的传统风味菜肴。相传在清朝同治末年，成都有个姓陈的妇女，她脸上生有麻子，但是她烧得一手好菜，其店经营的豆腐特别有味道，它麻辣味鲜、色泽红亮，深受群众喜爱，因而得名。特点是：形整而不烂，具有浓厚的麻辣味，牛肉酥香鲜美。在国内外享有盛名。