Sichuan spiced marinade

7-17-2020 Fri. 


DINNER ---  Sichuan spice marinated napa cabbage | parboiled Japanese greens | Sichuan style drunken chicken (parboiled and marinated in spiced rice wine lee )   

• marinade is more useful in summer cooking 

si-chuan ma-la chicken

11-20-2019 Wed. 


 DINNER ---  spicy chicken with onion and  chili | pan-fried brussels sprouts | rice 

• with ma-la sichuan peppercorn 

Si-chuan flavor

7-20-2015 Mon. hot, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee | watermelon | scallion pancake
LUNCH --- shao-mai 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- parboiled fresh soy beans
DINNER ---  white fish ceviche | Si-chuan style spicy tofu | Chinese taco with twice-cooked pork,  caramelized onion with Pixian femented fava bean sauce, and cilantro | salad | wine 

 

• ma-la

go for Si-chuan hot and spicy

5-27-2015 Wed. warm, sunny.  


 BREAKFAST --- coffee
 LUNCH --- rice with asparagus 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- Kung-pao chicken | spicy cabbage | rice | wine 

 

• pretty good kung-pao, with walnuts instead of peanuts

two pots, two cuisine

10-30-2013 Wed. mild, sunny.  


 BREAKFAST --- coffee
 LUNCH --- steamed dumplings 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tangerine 
DINNER --- stew pot of potato and Spanish chorizo with pimenton and tomato sauce | simmered  eggplant with Sichuan sytle meat sauce | rice | wine 

 

• competing  or complementary?

stir-fry

9-26-2012 Wed. warm, rain and clouds. 


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed dumplings 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- grapes 
DINNER --- stir-fried spicy chicken with onion and peanuts | stir-fried okra and zucchini with fermented black beans | fennel and cherry tomato salad | garlic bread | rice |wine



 

• ad hoc

Ma-La at Hot Kitchen East Village

7-04-2012 Wed. hot, sunny.

  
WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- cherries | chocolate crepe 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- ( at M.M.'s)  baguette with pickled fish roe and seaweed | green salad | homemade Cha-shao pork shoulder |tiramisu
DINNER --- ( at Hot Kitchen East Village, NYC)  steamed eggplant with pickled hot Sichuan chili | Sichuan style pickled spicy cabbage | cumin lamb | steamed egg custard with manila clams | stir-fried Chinese greens | hot and spicy crayfish | beer 

cool lunch

 hot dinner 

 cabbage

 eggplant

 clams & eggs

 cumin lamb

 crayfish

 

•   hot and spicy, authentic Sichuan style at Hot Kitchen East Village. 

as Chinese as it gets

02-09-2011 Thu. cold, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with baked winter squash
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- tangerine
DINNER --- stir-fried chive flowers and smoked tofu | Sichuan style kung-pao chicken with celery, sweet onion and roasted peanuts | tomato and egg drop soup | rice | wine

• easy and tasty
  

5+ spices

11-02-2011 Wed. cool, sunny


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with stir-fried vegetables
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- English tea
DINNER --- five-spice stir-fried threaded potato and green onion | Kung-pao chicken with Sichuan pepper and chili | rice | wine

• 5 spices into potato, 4 spices into chicken
  

as quick as it gets

11-01-2011 Tue. cool, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with stir-fried vegetables and smoked tofu
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- Sichuan style spicy cabbage | pan-fried pork shop | porridge of soft tofu and minced shrimp | rice | wine

• everything needs to be done in 30 minutes on Tuesdays
  

ad hoc Sichuanese

4-21-2011 Thu. mild, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- (at C. A. Chinese restaurant) satay chicken | pan-fried string beans
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- sauteed eggplant and tomato with Sichuan chili sauce | sauteed soft tofu and shrimp with Sichuan peppercorn sauce | rice | wine

• ma and la
  

give knife a break today

4-19-2011 Wed. mild, cloudy.

BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- cracked wheat with eggplant relish and cauliflowers
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- jellyfish salad with radish and arugula in citrus dressing | stir-fried spicy cabbage with fermented fava bean sauce | twice-cooked pork with beech mushrooms | rice | wine

• the cabbage is torn into irregular shaped small pieces, not cut into threads by knife as usual. stir-fired over high heat quickly with Sichuan chili paste and fermented fava bean sauce, the resulting texture is cruncher.
  

Sichuan peppercorn

4-05-2011 Tue. chilly, rain.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed dumplings
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- salad of avocado, arugula, green olives and pickled lemon | stir-fried spicy cabbage with fermented fava bean sauce | pan-fried pork chop | rice | wine || Sichuan style pickled cabbage with Sichuan peppercorn, star anise, corriander seeds and chili pepper

making Sichuan style cabbage pickle

make it spicy, sweet, hot and sour

• one of many ways to use Sichuan peppercorn, make spicy oil or spicy broth as marinade for vegetables, cabbage, young ginger or cucumber.
  

Sichuan ma-la hot pot

2-11-2011 Fri. cold, sunny.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed dumplings | clementine
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- Sichuan style ma-la hot pot ( napa cabbage, spinach, mung bean noodles, thin sliced lamb, tofu skin, fried tofu cubes, with Sha-cha dipping sauce ) | baked Japanese sweet potato fries | wine

• Sichuan red popcorn has the special spiciness of "ma (麻）", kind of tinkling sensation instead of burning hot （ "la" 辣 ).
  

Infamous Kung Pao chicken

8-24-2010 Tue. mild, cloudy.


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with boiled greens and red pepper
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- plums | tea
DINNER --- Kung Pao chicken ( stir-fried diced chicken and roasted peanuts with caramelized onion and Sichuan hot chili and peppercorn) | sauteed bean sprouts and smoked tofu | rice | fennel and avocado salad | red wine

• chicken cut to small pieces absorbs flavors from spices and other ingredients, homemade Kung Pao is much less "saucy" and much spicier than what is usually dished out at Americanized Chinese restaurants
  

Sichuan pickled hot chili

3-08-2010 Mon. mild, sunny

BREAKFAST --- coffee | flute cookie
LUNCH --- paella rice (leftover)
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple
DINNER --- salad cilantro, marinated tofu and peanuts | stir-fried chayote, shiitake, wood-ear fungi, and bamboo shoots | sauteed bean sprouts with Sichuan pickled hot chili | rice | red wine

• a new week starts with a dinner of vegetables rich in colors and textures. Sichuan pickled hot chili is a beauty, bright red and quite hot.

Flavor from Sichuan

2-22-2010 Mon. mild, rain

BREAKFAST --- coffee | Pocky pretzel sticks
LUNCH --- rice with simmered winter vegetables
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- green tea | apple
DINNER --- puree of sauteed Tong-ho leaves and crushed peanuts | Sichuan-style spiced eggplant ( Yu-xiang eggplant)| twice-cooked beef with green and red peppers | rice | red wine

• Yu-xiang (" fish-fragrant ", no fish involved though) is a richly spiced flavor with fresh garlic and ginger, Sichuan red peppercorns, Sichuan hot chili bean paste. eggplant absorbs the flavor very well.