The Sichuan Cuisine has an international reputation for being spicy and flavourful. The story of the chili pepper, a common ingredient in Sechuan cuisine (often used unseeded), is that it was introduced to China following Columbus's discovery of the New World. Chili peppers were possibly introduced to the remote Sichuan province by Western missionaries.

However, previous Sichuan cuisine was not completely without spice, since Sichuan people used the traditional Sichuan pepper. Nowadays, it is still a key ingredient in Sichuan food. This surprising emphasis on spice in the region may derive from its warm, humid climate.

Sichuan Pepper is an indigenous plant (fruit), also known as pepper flower, Chinese pepper, and fagara, but actually, Sichuan pepper is not a pepper at all. Instead, the reddish-brown fruit - one of the ingredients in the five spice powder - is a berry that comes from the prickly ash tree. While not as hot as chilli pepper, it does have a unique flavour, and it is famous for its numbing effect on the tongue.

Hot foods, like red chilli, stimulate the palate, making it more sensitive to all these flavours. In addition, they cleanse the palate in preparation for the next dish.

A common ingredient in Sichuan cuisine is beef. Possibly because of the widespread use of oxen in the region. It is a fact that Sichuan people tend to favour meat over fish. Some well-known Sichuan dishes include "Beef Sichuan", but surprisingly, also the mild dish "Kung Po Chicken".

You can try these (spicy) dishes at Sea palace!