Sichuan Ma La dishes (麻辣XX)

[hzrt8w]

[...]However, we also heard rumor that the stuff is somewhat addicting.... I was wondering if anyone has heard about the ma being an addictive substance?

←

Jenny: Welcome to eGullet!

Yes Sichuan Peppercorn being addictive has been discussed before. Check out this post:

Sichuan Peppercorn, The Thread

The whole thread was on Sichuan Peppercorn, the key ingredient to the "ma" sensation.

Edited March 8, 2006 by hzrt8w (log)

[Carlovski]

I've tried buying them from Chinese Supermarkets in the UK and they are inevitably very poor. Strangely the ones available in the supermarket (Bart's Spices brand) are pretty potent. Even then it seems to be variable, I got one jar once and managed to completely ruin a dish with far too much - it was a very strong batch and completely numbed my tongue and produce a rather unpleasent metallic taste.

Hi Carlovski,

Another UK gulleteer here. Can you tell me which supermarkets you have been able to obtain sichuan peppercorns from? I think I have seen them once but can't remember where; I think it was also the Bart's Spices brand.

I tried to make mapo tofu with a supermarket brand of sichuan sauce. It was OK, but not really good enough. Next time I will try from scratch.

←

The larger Sainsburys definitely stock it. I think I have got them from other supermarkets too, but I can't remember which ones (Probably Waitrose).

I'll have to look out for the ones in oil. The Chinese supermarket in Southampton is fairly good (Though I prefer the ones in Manchester).

[andrewhwest]

To me the classic "ma la" dish is fu chi fei pien (literally husband wife heart lung) which has tongue and tripe in a ma la chili oil sauce.

But many Sichuan dishes should be ma la, e.g. mapo tofu, water cooked beef.

Whenever someone in our family returns from a trip from Chengdu, they will bring back some of the best peppercorns in their luggage to share with the extended family in the U.S.