Review: Sichuan Cookery (5/5)
by Fuchsia Dunlop
This is an old book. It was written in 2001 but it is such a treasure on Sichuan culinary art.
The book starts with a hefty discussion on Sichuan culture and its kitchen: from the basic cutting skills to cooking methods. Then comes the recipes divided into types of food. It closes with appendices on the main flavours from Sichuan, 23 basic flavours of Sichuan, and 56 methods of cooking Sichuan dishes.
The section on 23 flavours of Sichuan is interesting. When we hear ‘Sichuan food’, we think of fiery flavours. Apparently, it is not so simple. There are 23 complex flavours such as hot and numbing flavours which is associated with hearty peasant cooking and use of a lot of chilies and Sichuan pepper for that distinctive taste. Fish fragrant flavour is dominated by salty, sweet, sour and spicy with heavy fragrances from garlic, ginger and spring onion. Pepper and salt? Oh, the heavenly simple dip of ground Sichuan pepper and salt for deep-fried food.
The recipes are quite detailed with a lot of notes on techniques. I like the fact that for each Chinese word, be it for the name of the dish to the method of cutting, there’s an accompanying Chinese characters in traditional writings (or Fan Ti Zi). It helps in clarifying matter for those who understand Chinese. These recipes were also tried and tested in her apartment in London. That conveys two important messages: one, it is not complicated and can be safely reproduced in a basic kitchen; two, ingredients are not as exotic as they can be obtained in London (OK, London is great compared to my town).
All the above are reassuring proof of how knowledgeable the writer is and how thorough she is in her research. I think she does well by focusing her book on just one of the many aspects of Chinese cooking. She doesn’t try to tackle a whole lot of cuisines from North to South, each of which has its own distinct character. She focuses on what she knows best, Sichuan cuisines. After all, during her two years in Chengdu for British Council Scholarship, she learned the art in Sichuan Institute of Higher Cuisine in Chengdu.
I initially penalized this book for the lack of pictures accompanying each dish which is an important criterion in selecting cookbooks for me. However, the writing is so detailed, and despite its sheer size of information, this book is a fascinating read. Each page is tantalizing and motivating. She patiently ensures that an English equivalent or a description of an item is correctly done. Take this for example: "Cui… refers to a certain quality of crispness, a texture that offers resistance to the teeth, but finally yields, cleanly, with a pleasant snappy feeling. This is a quality of kidneys, cut finely, cooked swiftly over a fierce flame; of goose intestines, scalded briefly in a Sichuan hotpot; of fresh celery and raw mangetout."
Isn’t it delicious?
