Before a strand of noodle enters the water, a Chongqing xiaomian (重庆小面) bowl is already taking shape. Soy sauce, red chili oil, ground Sichuan pepper, preserved vegetables, ginger-garlic water, sesame paste or sesame oil, peanuts, and scallions are measured into the empty bowl. Fine wheat noodles and a handful of greens arrive last. This order … Read more
A square wrapper lies flat, the filling sits off-center, and two side corners are brought together. That compact fold is one reason Sichuan and Chongqing speakers call these dumplings chaoshou (抄手), a word associated with crossed or folded arms. Once boiled and placed in a seasoned bowl of red chili oil, they become hongyou chaoshou … Read more
Lift a strand of suan la fen (酸辣粉) beside a strand of Chongqing xiaomian and the difference is visible. Xiaomian is an opaque wheat noodle. Suan la fen is made with starch, most characteristically sweet potato starch in Chongqing, which gives it a translucent surface and an elastic pull. The bowl belongs to the connected … Read more
In chuan chuan (串串), the bamboo stick is part utensil, part portion marker, and part ordering system. Slices of meat, offal, tofu products, mushrooms, and vegetables are threaded in small quantities so diners can combine many ingredients without committing to a full plate of any one item. The name covers more than one way of … Read more
To make you lao zao (油醪糟), fermented glutinous rice is drained and returned to the heat. Traditional Fuling versions cook it gently with lard, black sesame, nuts, candied fruit, and osmanthus until the mixture becomes a rich concentrate. A portion can later be loosened with boiling water to make a hot sweet soup. This extra … Read more