Coming from Hong Kong, where GuangZhou cuisine is mainly served, we rarely eat dishes filled with chili peppers. However, as a Chinese, I feel that there is a need to discover different cuisine served in different parts of China.
Amongst the eight major types of Chinese, today's main course will be about SzeChuan food. As the name implies, the origin of the food came from the southern part of China, SzeChuan. Famous for their flavorful spices, the majority of the SzeChuan dishes tends to be more spicy. In Chinese cuisine, even spicy has two levels, there is "麻" (pronounced Ma), the strong numbing taste created with a lot of SzeChuan peppercorn is famous from their spicy hotpot; the second element is "辣" (pronounced Lat), which basically gives the dishes the heat, usually created using SzeChuan red chili peppers.
Amongst the eight major types of Chinese, today's main course will be about SzeChuan food. As the name implies, the origin of the food came from the southern part of China, SzeChuan. Famous for their flavorful spices, the majority of the SzeChuan dishes tends to be more spicy. In Chinese cuisine, even spicy has two levels, there is "麻" (pronounced Ma), the strong numbing taste created with a lot of SzeChuan peppercorn is famous from their spicy hotpot; the second element is "辣" (pronounced Lat), which basically gives the dishes the heat, usually created using SzeChuan red chili peppers.
Some of the more famous SzeChuan dishes are Ma Po Tofu, Kung Po chicken and their spicy hotpot. A particular restaurant I enjoy going to is "SzeChuan Garden", located at First Markham Place on Hwy7.
One of my favorite dishes from there is their "Fuqi Fei Pian" which is finely sliced beef and tripe marinated in a Ma Lat sauce, the combination of the two spices works in harmony to create a tangy and spicy flavor.
I remembered that day I sat on my chair, looking at the Fuqi Fei Pian, I thought to myself "Toro, what are you getting yourself into?" The simple view of the orange chili oil and the red chili peppers terrified me, I was very hesitant to eat spicy food, but since my friends kept talking about how good this dish is, I had to find the courage to at least try. The dish was very spicy, but the fact that it was served cold made it easier to eat. From someone who doesn't eat spicy food, I think this had got to be the best dish I had tasted. Do not be afraid of the chili oil, its not as bad as you think! It is actually the chili oil that gives it the distinct taste you'll never forget.
This dish is served cold as an appetizer, the "Ma" flavors is meant to stimulate your appetite, but if you can't eat too spicy, you should consider ordering a glass of soy bean milk just to be safe.
I remembered that day I sat on my chair, looking at the Fuqi Fei Pian, I thought to myself "Toro, what are you getting yourself into?" The simple view of the orange chili oil and the red chili peppers terrified me, I was very hesitant to eat spicy food, but since my friends kept talking about how good this dish is, I had to find the courage to at least try. The dish was very spicy, but the fact that it was served cold made it easier to eat. From someone who doesn't eat spicy food, I think this had got to be the best dish I had tasted. Do not be afraid of the chili oil, its not as bad as you think! It is actually the chili oil that gives it the distinct taste you'll never forget.
This dish is served cold as an appetizer, the "Ma" flavors is meant to stimulate your appetite, but if you can't eat too spicy, you should consider ordering a glass of soy bean milk just to be safe.
I personally think that SzeChuan cuisine is one of the most unique types of cuisine amongst Chinese cooking, since almost all types of dishes are filled with rich spices and packed with flavor. Although they are all spicy, but the peppers and the marinate do not overwhelm the taste of the meat or vegetable.
After trying the FuQi Fei Pian, I was exposed to even more spicy food. If you can eat very spicy, you must try the Spicy fish served in a hotpot. Don't be alarmed by the red chili peppers that fills the pot, it may not be as spicy as you think! :) My impression was "No way I'm eating that!", but since you're only eating the fish, the heat level is not that high, you can actually taste the different flavors like capers, parsley, and other herbs and spices they put in this dish. But as a result, my lips fell like it was on fire for the next few hours :(
Quality: 5/5
Price:4/5
Spicy level: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Overall rating: 4/5
SzeChuan Garden
3225 Hwy7
Markham, ON
(905) 513-7588
I am very hungry right now and reading your post was like torture! Just had SzeChuan chicken for the first time the other day at a Hukkah Indian restaurant in Mississauga. Im excited to see what this place has to offer.
ReplyDeleteSuch a bad idea reading this just before lunch! I am a huge fan of spicy foods, so this would be the perfect place for me. Although I'm not personally a seafood person I feel like the two dishes would be perfect for me and my boyfriend. I would definately want to try the Fuqi Fei Pian and he would most likely order the spicy fish. Would you recommend this as a good date spot? What is the atmosphere like there?
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