Chongqing Cuisine is a member of the Sichuan Cuisine family. Although most Chongqing people who like or are even addicted to spicy and hot food dislike the statement that Chongqing cuisine is just hot and spicy, they must acknowledge that spiciness and hotness are indispensable for Chongqing cuisine. Aside from this feature, a great variety of chillies and flavourings combined with various cooking techniques give birth to diverse flavours, such as fermented, smoked, aromatic, fresh and acidic spices. These have constituted to the appealing spicy and hot taste unique to Chongqing cuisine.
The most well-known Chongqing dish is Chongqing Hot Pot ( Huoguo,火锅). It is said that the damp and cold climate in winter and the straightforward character of Chongqing people account for its origin. This dish comprises of two different kinds of soup. Hot and spicy soup and light soup. The former features are spicy, hot, fresh and aromatic. The latter is light in colour and fresh in taste. Mandarin Duck Hot Pot ( Yuanyang Huoguo, 鸳鸯火锅 ) combines the two varieties which utilises an S-shaped metal strip to separate the hot pot into a Chinese Taiji pattern (a sign of Chinese shadowboxing), one side being light in colour and the other red. The scope of the raw materials applied is very extensive. Domestic livestock and poultry including their intestines and marine life could be used for meat dishes and almost all vegetables could be used as a vegetable dish.
Main Dishes
Sautéed Diced Chicken with Chilli and Pepper ( Lazi Ji, 辣子鸡 )
This dish was initially created by Linzhongle Farmer Restaurant in Gele Mountain. Fresh household-raised chickens are slaughtered on-site and chopped into small chunks then fried along with Sichuan chilli and pepper powder. Guests always search for small fried chicken chunks out of piles of peppers while eating and the feeling of hot spice is truly strong which is mostly embraced by the Chongqing people.
Sautéed Pork with Green Peppers and Chilli Sauce ( Huiguo Rou, 回锅肉)
This dish looks green and red and the meat slices are even in thickness. Being slightly al dente they retain their freshness and are full of flavour tasting slightly hot and a little sweet. Raw materials include leg of pork, Shaoxing liquor, sweet fermented soybean sauce and white sugar etc.
Poached Sliced Beef in Hot Chilli Oil ( Shuizhu Niurou, 水煮牛肉)
This dish, as one of the typical Sichuan dishes, is extremely spicy and very hot and the meat slices are very tender. Raw materials include beef, garlic and onion, dry chilli, pepper powder, salt and starch mixed with water and fermented soybean sauce etc.
Stir-fried Egg Scroll with Eel ( Shanyu Jidan Juan, 鳝鱼鸡蛋卷)
This dish tastes delicious and fresh and is popular among both the old and the young. Baked eel kebabs, egg, chicken soup, cooking wine, salt, soy sauce and other raw materials are the main ingredients. Besides, Braised Qianjiang Chicken Intestines ( Qianjiang Jiza,黔江鸡杂), Fried Bamboo Shoots and Chicken( Heizhusun Xiangji,黑竹笋香鸡), Stir-fired Crabs with Spicy Sauce ( Xiangla Xie,香辣蟹), Boiled Fish with Sichuan Pickles ( Suancai Yu,酸菜鱼), Braised Fish in Pepper Oil( Shui Zhu Yu,水煮鱼) are all tremendously famous Chongqing dishes. Travellers are advised not to eat too many spicy hot foods during their initial visit to Chongqing otherwise intestine disease might ensue.
Steamed Chicken with Chilli Sauce ( Koushui Ji, 口水鸡)
Being one of the most common household dishes, it is spicy, hot, aromatic, tender and fresh. The selection of main raw materials is very refined and tremendously important using household-raised cockerel to maintain the flavour. A great variety of seasonings are used to create a combined taste of spices and aromatic flavours which are not only hot but also tender and fresh. People praise it by saying “it is truly popular in Sichuan and Chongqing and has an overwhelming taste better than those of other provinces in Southern China”.
Chongqing Hot Pot (Chongqing Huoguo, 重庆火锅)
Among various culinary terms, hot pot is among the minority which has multiple meanings. It could collectively refer to food, the name of a cooking utensil or even the traditional cooking approach. There are six features to Chongqing hot pot. First, apart from being hot and spicy, it has many other tastes. Second, the flavours depend on the cooking technique. Third, it focuses on the usage of soup and natural ingredients. Fourth, the cutting skills are refined and rich in variation. Fifth, the selection of raw materials is very broad and unique. Last of all, it can be either eaten or drunk. The original hot pot soup can be both hot and spicy or light and aromatic. The former is the typical base soup of Chongqing Hot Pot and applicable to most varieties featuring abundant flavours which are hot and moderately spicy with a sweet and fresh taste. There are many ways to use the ingredients and many different techniques which can create a different character. This light and aromatic soup has many applications, such as Mandarin Bird Hot Pot, Light Soup Hot Pot, and Restorative Hot Pot. As the original base soup of Chongqing Hotpot, it features a strong fresh flavour which is light, tasty and delicate. However, the making process is complicated.
Braised Blood Curd in Chilli Sauce ( Maoxuewang, 毛血旺)
The term Xuewang ( 血旺) refers to the solidified blood curd produced from ducks blood but in some cases pigs (Some say that the originator used solidified pigs’ blood). The most critical element of the taste is the original base soup followed by the red oil. The base raw materials should be stir-fried together with more than twenty kinds of flavourings and aromatic ingredients. The stir-fried base raw materials are then mixed with chicken stock to form a thin soup. Solidified ducks’ blood, tripe, beef, eel, luncheon meat, soy bean sprouts along with Sichuan pepper oil and chilli oil are then added to the thin soup then brought to the boil. This method is different with cooking meat since the ducks blood is quite delicate and will break easily, therefore, the cooking time should be shortened to prevent this from happening. After the soup boils, the soy bean sprouts and other ingredients should be placed on the bottom of a plate or base of a big bowl and finally covered with fried chilli and Sichuan pepper on the top to complete the dish.
Duck Stewed in Beer (Pijiu Ya, 啤酒鸭)
The dish, as an excellent side dish to accompany with beer, has a unique flavour. Duck flesh is stewed in beer so that the flesh tastes more delicious and aromatic with the added fragrance of hops. Multiple flavourings might be added while cooking to improve its delicate flavour. Some cooks claim that it could also serve to remove a chill, alleviate fever and stimulate the appetite.
Food Street
For year-round fruit and vegetables, livestock and poultry, Qingqing is definitely the place to be.
Bayi Road Tasty Food Street
Tasty Food Street is in the middle of Bayi Road, which is tiny at only 205 metres long. Chongqing and foods from all over the world have been brought here by caterers since 1979.
Nanbin Road
Situated in Nan’an District’s river area, Nanbin road is a clean, wide street and is very popular because of where it is. Local spices allow local chefs to show off their skills and there is a wide variety to choose from here. The main dish found here is hot-pot, though dishes from north to south are all gathered here. Many well-known catering brands are assembled here and the street has become somewhat famous for its brand-names.
Zhigang Avenue, Yangjiaping
This street is located in a remote area and each side is home to various catering establishments. Hundreds of different-sized restaurants can be found here; some Western-style food and Cantonese cuisine are served here, but the main focus is on hot-pot and Sichuan food.
Ciqikou Ancient Town
An ancient dock culture is preserved in this small town. Ciqikou Food Street has a long history and there are currently more than 80 snack shops to be found here.
Snacks
Drinks
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|