Sichuan Dry Pot
Introduction to the spicy and numbing stir-fry
I wipe the sweat on my forehead, and my tongue is numb after a few bites. But I continue to use my chopsticks to take my next mouthful of noodles, aware that the heat from the Sichuan peppercorns is killing me slowly with every bite.
I just cannot stop eating it, and I notice my friend continues to plow on too, looking to attack the next piece of meat or vegetable.
When we both finish the large bowl of Sichuan dry pot, we know that we have reached the point of no return. We cannot differentiate between pain and pleasure, yet it is good. Very good.
As a person who lives in Singapore, my homeland, I am no stranger to spicy food. I am blessed living in a country with a diverse and vibrant food scene that is a reflection of our culture. In recent years, Sichuan dry pot, also known as Mala Xiang Guo became popular in Singapore and it is definitely not a coincidence.
The spicy and numbing stir-fry dish is the perfect antidote to numb ourselves to the stress and cost of living in Singapore.
The origins of Sichuan dry pot, the cousin of Sichuan hotpot, seems to be a mystery, despite its popularity in my country. Some say it is brought by the cooks from Sichuan’s culinary capital, Chongqing who migrated to Singapore…
