Different Chicken Styles in Sichuan Cuisine

    2022-09-26 by Sichuan International Communication Center

    中国饮食文化源远流长,川菜作为中国八大菜系之一、中华料理集大成者,取材广泛、调味多变、菜式多样,形成了“一菜一格,百菜百味”的川菜烹饪技艺,其精妙之处在于川菜的调和与搭配。

    As one of the eight regional cuisines in China and an outstanding representative of Chinese cuisine, Sichuan cuisine is renowned for its diverse dishes with rich and distinct flavors by using a wide variety of ingredients and seasonings.

    中国各大菜系,用鸡烹制佳肴不计其数,而作为川菜经典凉菜的川味凉拌鸡,味道多元(麻辣鲜香)、形式多样。鸡肉、花椒和辣椒的巧妙搭配,让川菜的麻辣味型衍生出不一样的味蕾感受,以成都米其林餐厅马旺子的3款川味凉拌鸡(刀口椒干拌鸡、红油鸡块、手撕藤椒鸡)为例,不同品种的辣椒配比、不同烹饪方法和不同食材选择,让凉拌鸡有着不同风味。

    Most Chinese regional cuisines would choose chicken as their raw material, in which Sichuan cold chicken, a classic Sichuan cold dish, gains popularity for its various flavors and forms. The perfect combination of chicken, pepper and chili offers us a brand-new experience of Sichuan flavor. Taking a Chengdu Michelin-starred restaurant, Ma's Kitchen's three types of Sichuan cold chicken (Cold Chicken Mixed with Chili Sauce, Cold Chicken in Sichuan Spicy Sauce and Shredded Cold Chicken in Pepper Sauce) as an example, different matches of chilies, different cooking methods and different ingredients make the cold chicken distinctive.

    凉拌鸡在鸡肉选择上,颇为讲究,刀口椒干拌鸡挑选适合干拌的肉质,通常为约一年鸡龄的鸡,保证其肉质有嚼劲,鸡香浓郁;而手撕藤椒鸡和红油鸡块则挑选8-10月鸡龄的鸡,此时的鸡肉细软多汁,更能与调料融合。

    Chefs are peculiar about the chicken to make the Sichuan cold chicken. For example, when cooking the Cold Chicken Mixed with Chili Sauce, the chef usually favors chickens aged about one year, to ensure that it is chewy and has a rich aroma, while chickens aged 8 to 10 months are chosen to make Shredded Cold Chicken in Pepper Sauce and Cold Chicken in Sichuan Spicy Sauce since this kind of chicken is soft and juicy, and integrates with the seasoning more easily.

    在整鸡的炖煮上,需注重火候,火力不宜过大,防止破皮。待鸡熟透,需慢慢降温,保证鸡块润滑香软,口感舒适。趁鸡肉尚有温热之际下刀切条,切出的鸡块需大小均匀,不仅在形状上好看还能使得鸡肉均匀入味。而手撕鸡则采用人工手撕的方式,保留鸡肉原纤维,口感更佳。

    The chef of Ma's Kitchen pays attention to the control of heat when stewing a whole chicken, so that the skin of the chicken remains complete.After the chicken is cooked, cool it down slowly to ensure its softness, then cut it into slices when it is still warm, and the chicken pieces should be evenly sized, not only for good shape but also to make the chicken evenly flavored. The shredded chicken is torn by hands to preserve the original fiber of the chicken and present a better taste.

    刀口椒干拌鸡

    所谓刀口辣椒,其实是不同辣椒花椒配比,炒香之后,用刀剁碎剁细,用低油温浇制,香气四溢。选用不同产地的多种类型干辣椒,能增香、增辣、增色;浇制7分熟热油,能带来熟辣椒生熟之间的风味,带上藤椒的清香。

    To make the chili sauce for this dish, the first step is to combine different chilies and peppers in different ration, and then, chop them finely after frying. Finally pour them with low- temperature oil to present the aroma of different chilies and peppers.Choosing a variety of types of dried chili peppers from different origins will increase the aroma and make it spicier and better looking. Cooking them with the medium-high heat oil, there comes a different flavor, accompanied by the fragrance of pepper.

    刀口椒干拌鸡,以刀口椒为主料,配以调味辅料,菜品香辣爽口,回味带甜,略微葱香不油腻,肉质紧实有嚼劲。

    Taking the unique chili sauce as its main ingredient, and adding other seasonings, the dish Cold Chicken Mixed with Chili Sauce is fragrant, tasty, and chewy.

    红油鸡块

    红油鸡块关键在红油的炒制,多种不同的辣椒和花椒低温炒制,带出麻辣香,炒制的红油,不仅色泽红艳、香辣诱人,而且辣而不辛,香气醇和绵长。在调好味料之后,加入适量的原鸡汤,不仅味汁更加鲜美,还能让各种味料充分溶解,鸡块浸泡在味汁中更能入味。只要轻轻一咬,鸡肉中就渗出鲜美的味汁,顿时麻、辣、鲜、香,溢满口腔。

    The key to making Cold Chicken in Sichuan Spicy Sauce lies in the red oil, which is made of a variety of chilis and peppers fried at a low temperature, fully presenting the spicy aroma. After the seasoning is prepared, add the original chicken broth to make it fresher and combine all the ingredients well. Just a little bite brings you rich flavors.

    手撕藤椒鸡

    通过熬煮,以鲜藤椒提取清香鲜麻,以青椒、小米辣提取香辣,制成藤椒汁。手撕的鸡肉淋上藤椒汤汁,鸡肉在汤汁中浸泡,肉质细腻,味道层次多,麻辣中还略带着清香。

    Boil fresh pepper, green pepper and red pepper, and you will get the sauce. With the sauce poured on the shredded chicken, the dish becomes soft, abundant and fragrant.

    川菜调味用料多变、组合精妙。川味凉拌鸡,仅以鸡肉、花椒、辣椒为主食材和主调味料,烹饪出刀口椒的辛香、红油鸡块的鲜香以及藤椒鸡的清香,展现出川菜“百菜百味”特色。

    Sichuan cuisine uses various ingredients to form different tastes. Only using the chicken, pepper and chilli as the main seasoning and ingredient, the chef will cook different dishes with different flavors, displaying the diversity of Sichuan cuisine.

    还想了解更多不一样的川菜?

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