Chinese chili hits the spot in Sichuan-inspired food festival

New Delhi: Delhi gourmands' eternal love for chinese food has inspired an ongoing food pop-up serving flavourful authentic Sichuan cuisine.

Whipping up a delicious spicy storm here in Hotel Shangri-La's kitchen with his specially curated Sichuan-inspired menu is well-known Chef Qiu ZhiQiang, also known as Chef Jason, from Shangri-La in Colombo.

Sichuan cuisine, originating from the Sichuan province in China, is known for its bold and spicy flavours. One of the key ingredients that gives the cuisine, also known as Szechwan cuisine, its unique taste is the Sichuan peppercorn -- which has a citrus-like flavour and produces a 'tingly-numbing' sensation in the mouth.

"The idea behind hosting this one was to give the experience of authentic Sichuan cuisine to the guests from Colombo Shang Palace to New Delhi Shang Palace. With that aim in mind I curated a cuisine which retained the original elements of the region along with my signature dishes in this menu. I have not made any changes to the ingredients or the recipes to suit the Indian palate. I wanted my guests to taste the real, authentic Sichuan cuisine," the chef told PTI.

From appetizers to main course and even desserts, the visitors can relish some of the finest chinese delicacies, including 'hot butter cuttlefish with chinese wine and chilli', 'Crispy chicken with shrimp pastes with chill garlic', 'Seafood fried rice with black truffle', 'Wok fried lobster with cereal and butter' and 'WU Xi Pork Ribs'.

The fare, majorly non-vegetarian, features some vegetarian delights as well, like 'Okra with dry chilli and crispy garlic in soy sauce', 'Wok fried french beans with choy chilli', or 'Marinated Sichuan fungus with chilli on ice' in salads.

The chef's recommendation from the menu include 'Sichuan chili tiger prawn', 'Kung pao mushrooms' and 'Sliced lamb with golden hot & sour sauce' Exotic Chinese spices such as 'green Sichuan peppercorn', 'black fungus' and 'chilli paste' have been specially sourced from China for the gastronomic extravaganza, informed the chef.

The decadent dessert section, featuring tropical delight 'Mango coconut sphere', served in an artistically crafted coconut shell made using chocolates, ensures that the visitors end their meal on a sweet note.

The food goes off the table on Saturday.