Seasonings are very important in Sichuan Cuisine and many different flavors abound, which can be seen from seasonings such as scallion, ginger, garlic, chili, pepper, Chinese pepper, vinegar, Pixian County bean paste, fermented glutinous rice wine, sugar, salt and so on. If the cook is skillful euough, seven flavors—sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, tongue-numbing, aromatic and salty should be detected.
四川素有 “ 天府之國” 之稱， 56萬平方公里境內(nèi)， 物產(chǎn)富庶。烹飪原料多而廣。川菜擁有4000多個菜肴點(diǎn)心品種，是由筵席菜、 便餐菜、 家常菜、 三蒸九扣菜、 風(fēng)味小吃5個大類組成的， 常用烹調(diào)技法近40種， 長于小煎、 小炒、 干煸、 干燒、 家常燒等技法。菜品多為經(jīng)濟(jì)可口的大眾家常菜，風(fēng)格樸實(shí)清新。
Sichuan enjoys a reputation as a "land of abundance". Covering an area of 560,000 square kilometres, it yields rich cooking ingredients. Sichuan Cuisine boasts more than 4,000 courses, divided into five types, such as feast dishes, refreshment dishes, home-style dishes, steamed dishes and characteristic snacks. There are nearly40 kinds of common cooking techniques, especially sautéing, frying, stirfrying without stewing, dryfrying, home-style frying and so on. Most are economic and flavorful home style dishes, simple and fresh.
麻婆豆腐：為四川省的傳統(tǒng)風(fēng)味菜肴。相傳在清朝同治末年， 成都有位陳姓婦女臉上生有麻子， 但燒得一手好菜， 經(jīng)營餐館以豆腐的味道最為特別， 麻辣味鮮、 色澤紅亮， 深受群眾喜愛， 因而得名。
Mapo (meaning "pockmarked lady" in Chinese) Tofu (Sautéed Tofu in Hot and Spicy Sauce): It is a traditional flavorful dish. It is said that towards the end of the reign of Tongzhi (1862-1875) of the Qing Dynasty, there was a lady surnamed Chen, who was pockmarked but was a very good cook. The tofu in her restaurant was especially tasty with spicy, tongue-numbing flavor and bright red color, which was deeply loved by her customers.
魚香肉絲：色紅肉嫩， 魚香味突出。因模仿民間烹魚的調(diào)料和方法制作， 故名魚香。
回鍋肉：紅綠相襯， 咸中帶甜， 微辣醇鮮、 味濃而香， 是四川的傳統(tǒng)菜肴。
Fish-Flavored Shredded Pork (Sautéed Shredded Pork with Spicy Garlic Sauce): Its meat is red and tender. It imitates the seasoning and method of cooking fish, hence its name.
Twice Cooked Pork Slices (Sautéed Sliced Pork with Pepper and Chili): Its color is red and green; its taste is salty with a little sweet and spicy flavor and it is fragrant.
