Sichuan Cuisine – Most Popular Cuisine in China

川菜—最受歡迎的中國菜

Sichuan cuisine is one of the eight Chinese cuisines popular in Sichuan and Chongqing area and it has the largest market share in China. Sichuan cuisine is featured with its wide range of materials, varied seasonings, diverse dishes, fresh fragrance, mellow and strong taste, good use of spicy seasoning, unique cooking methods and strong local flavor. Sichuan hot pot, Ma Po Tofu, Kung Pao Chicken, Sliced Beef and Ox Organs in Chili Sauce, Sliced Pork in Hot Chili soup are the famous and representative Sichuan cuisine dishes.

川菜是中國八大菜系之一，深受廣大中國人的喜愛。川菜以取材廣泛，調(diào)味多變，菜式多樣，口味清鮮，醇濃并重，以善用麻辣調(diào)味著稱，并以別具一格的烹調(diào)方法和濃郁的地方風(fēng)味聞名。川味火鍋、麻婆豆腐、宮保雞丁、夫妻肺片、水煮肉片等是川菜的代表菜。

The origin of Sichuan cuisine can be traced back to Qin Dynasty. Since Jin Dynasty, some local cooking methods and dishes have been created in Ba and Shu area. During the Sui and Tang Dynasty, the number of Sichuan food restaurants and cellars increased in the Ba and Shu area. The cooking technology had advanced a lot. In Song Dynasty, Sichuan food formed its own unique style, distinguished from other cuisines and gradually spread to areas outside the Ba and Shu area. Pepper was introduced into China in the late Ming Dynasty and the early Qing Dynasty and used in Sichuan cuisine. It enriched the flavor of Sichuan cuisine dishes and new dishes as then invented, which is regarded as the beginning of the modern Sichuan cuisine. Later, more kinds of peppers were added to Sichuan cuisine recipes, gradually forming the hot and spicy feature of modern Sichuan cuisine.

川菜的起源可以追溯到秦朝。到晉朝時，巴蜀地區(qū)已經(jīng)出現(xiàn)了具有地方特色的烹飪方法和各式菜肴。隋唐時期，巴蜀地區(qū)的川菜餐館和酒樓，大幅增加，烹飪技術(shù)也進(jìn)一步得到提升。到了宋代，川菜已經(jīng)形成和其他菜系完全不同的獨特風(fēng)格，并逐漸傳播到巴蜀以外的地區(qū)。辣椒，在明末清初傳入中國后，便被用于川菜。它不但豐富了川菜風(fēng)味，與辣椒相關(guān)的新菜肴應(yīng)運而生，這被認(rèn)為是現(xiàn)代川菜的開端。后來，川菜食譜中加入了更多種類的辣椒，逐漸形成了現(xiàn)代川菜的辛辣特色。

Most Sichuan cuisine dishes are hot and spicy. The two deep flavors are from the abundant using of seasonings including hot pepper, hot peppercorn, Sichuan pepper, prickly ashes, broad bean chili paste, ginger and garlic, which are all pungent, spicy and hot. Among them the broad bean paste is known as the soul of Chuan dishes, while the hot pepper and Sichuan pepper are the soul of it.

大多數(shù)川菜的風(fēng)味以麻辣為主。這兩種味道來自于大量使用的麻辣調(diào)味品，包括辣椒、胡椒、川椒、花椒、豆瓣醬、生姜和大蒜等。其中豆瓣醬被譽(yù)為川菜之魂，而辣椒和川椒則是魂中之魂。

The local climate is humid. Eating the pepper and chili can help the blood of the body flow quickly in a short time, thus the humidity in body is easily discharged. Girls in Sichuan and Chongqing also believe eating peppers gives them better skin.

四川當(dāng)?shù)貧夂虺睗?，多吃辣椒可以在短時間內(nèi)促進(jìn)血液循環(huán)，快速將體內(nèi)濕氣排除體外。據(jù)說，多吃辣椒可以美容養(yǎng)顏，這也是自古川蜀多美女的原因吧！

Actually, Sichuan cuisine is not only hot and spicy. Totally Sichuan cuisine dishes have 24 flavors which can be roughly divided into 3 major categories. The first and the most popular is hot & spicy, with the representative dishes of Sichuan hot pot, Ma Po Tofu and so on. The second is pungent & aromatic of which dishes are always with a hint of garlic and ginger. The third is sweet & sour, and Fish-Flavored Shredded Pork is the representative dish.

其實，川菜不僅僅只有麻辣味，它共有24種風(fēng)味，大致可分為3大類。第一類就是最受歡迎的麻辣味，代表菜有川味火鍋、麻婆豆腐等。第二類是辛香味，此類菜品帶有濃郁的蒜姜香味，代表菜為宮保雞丁。第三類是糖醋味，代表菜是魚香肉絲。

As a part of Chinese culture, Sichuan cuisine culture has a long history. It is the unshirkable responsibility of every Chinese person to inherit and carry forward Sichuan cuisine culture.

川菜文化是中國文化的重要組成部分，有著悠久的歷史。傳承和弘揚(yáng)川菜文化是每個中國人義不容辭的責(zé)任。