Sichuan Province — summer cold noodle culture as counterpoint to the winter hot pot tradition
Sichuan liang mian: cold wheat noodles dressed with sesame paste, chili oil, Sichuan pepper oil, black vinegar, soy, sugar, and garlic. Served in summer as a cooling dish — despite the heat from chili and pepper. The sesame paste is the binding agent; chili oil the fire; Sichuan pepper the numbing floral note.
Nutty, spicy, numbing, sour, savoury — all five of the Sichuan flavour dimensions in one bowl
{"Noodles must be cooked, rinsed under cold water, and oiled before dressing","Sesame paste must be loosened with sesame oil, not water","Sichuan pepper oil is distinct from whole Sichuan pepper — use the infused oil","Dress just before serving — noodles absorb sauce quickly and can become clumped"}
{"Add julienned cucumber and carrot for freshness and textural contrast","Good chili oil (hong you) is 50% of the dish — use quality homemade or brand (Lao Gan Ma, etc.)","A small amount of black Chinkiang vinegar brightens the whole dish"}
{"Not oiling noodles after cooling — they stick into a mass","Using water to thin sesame paste — makes it grainy","Under-seasoning — Sichuan cold noodles should be assertively flavoured"}
The Food of Sichuan — Fuchsia Dunlop