Turning up the heat

Google Sichuan cuisine and your smartphone screen would be inundated with the words spicy, hot, fiery and sizzling, and it’s not without reason. Even though other Chinese regions like Jiangxi or Funan cultivate and use chillies in their food, it was Sichuan that popularised the use of chilli pepper. According to 62-year-old chef Deng Huadong, it’s largely due to the ubiquitous Sichuan peppercorn; its numbing properties and the spiciness of chillies form a unique combination to leave a tingling sensation on the tongue.

It’s impressive to learn that