Sichuan is one of China’s key places of gastronomy, with Sichuan Cuisine being one of the eight major Chinese cuisines along with Shandong cuisine, Jiangsu cuisine, Guangdong cuisine, Fujian cuisine, Zhejiang cuisine, Henan cuisine and Anhui cuisine. This is a major plus point for all foodies interested in coming to study in Sichuan. There are some special ingredients that are representative of the unique flavour and style of Sichuan cuisine, we’re going to introduce you to three of them today so you can get your taste buds tingling when you get here. 

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1. Chili

Chili was introduced to China through the Silk Road and the Malacca Strait during the Ming Dynasty, and people in Sichuan have been eating chilies for more than 400 years. From then on, chili has become synonymous with Sichuan cuisine, and spicy food has become an important feature of Sichuan people's diet.

The vitamin C content of chili is high in vegetables, its vitamin B, carotene, calcium, iron and other mineral content is also relatively rich. Chili not only stimulates your appetite, but also warm your stomach to dispel cold. 

You can find chili in the base and the dipping sauce of Sichuan hot pot. There is no doubt that in classic Sichuan dishes such as twice-cooked pork, mapo bean curd and poached fish, chili is one of the essential ingredients. There’s a tip for you, if you eat something that is too spicy for you, drink milk instead of water. Milk is best to ease the spiciness.

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2. Peppercorn

Peppercorn is the fruit of the prickly ash tree, native to the Himalayan mountains of China. Peppercorn has a very numb taste and is an essential condiment in Chinese and Sichuan families. 

Peppercorn is fragrant and can remove the fishy smell of all kinds of meat when it is used as a condiment. Eating peppercorn can not only increase your appetite while promoting saliva secretion but also can make blood vessel dilate, playing the role of lowering blood pressure. 

You can find peppercorn in classic Sichuan dishes such as Spicy Chicken, Boiled Fish with Pickled Cabbage and Chili, Sliced Beef and Ox Tongue in Chilli Sauce. In addition to these classic Sichuan dishes, peppercorn is also added to ice cream to make a characteristic dessert which is Peppercorn Ice Cream, you can buy this in many ice cream shops in Sichuan.

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3. Houttuynia cordata

Houttuynia cordata is a herbal medicine listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and a favorite food of Sichuan people. Outside Sichuan, you could rarely find people eating houttuynia cordata as food because most people can’t stand the fishy smell of it.

Although houttuynia cordata gets a strong and strange taste, nobody can deny that it has high nutritional value. Houttuynia cordata contains daily essential protein, fat and rich carbohydrate. It can not only enhance human immunity, but also resist the interference of bacteria and play an anti-inflammatory role.

Sichuan people cook Cold Houttuyinie En Coeur, Scrambled Eggs with Houttuynia cordata and other dishes, they also put bundles of houttuynia cordata into hot pot. A drink shop in Chengdu has launched a drink, which is Houttuynia Cordata and Green Bean Soap flavour, attracting lots of customers to come and have a try.

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There is no doubt that the world-renowned Sichuan cuisine makes Sichuan an attractive proposition for many expats and travelers. A place where you can eat till your heart’s content. If you’re interested in studying in Sichuan, get in touch at [email protected] and we can help. Come and find out just how delicious Sichuan cuisine really is.