The magic of Sichuan cuisine is hidden in the molecular world where chilli and pepper meet. When the unique 6-gingerol of the Erjingzhi pepper and the hydroxyl methyl sanguinarine of the Hanyuan pepper are mixed in a ratio of three to one, a wonderful synergistic effect occurs – the former activates the TRPV1 receptor, which is responsible for the body’s perception of burning, while the latter stimulates the TRPA1 channel to produce a sense of trembling, and this dual neural signal creates the unique ‘pain thrill’ in the insular cortex. ‘pain pleasure’. The old chef understands this and precisely controls the temperature of the rapeseed oil when refining the red oil: the hot oil at 180 degrees Celsius is rushed into the chilli noodles, which catalyzes the complete release of capsaicin and avoids the peroxide value of the oil from exceeding the limit. The 2-acetylpyrroline produced during this process gives the red oil its signature nutty flavour, while the replica soy sauce, which has been fermented for more than 90 days, infuses the dish with a mellow sweetness by accumulating high levels of succinic acid and pyroglutamic acid.
The Sichuan classic, Mapo Tofu, is a textbook example of the Meladic reaction. Minced beef is stir-fried in an iron pan until dense brown spots form on the surface, at which point pyrazine compounds combine with the sulphur-containing amino acids in the tofu to more than triple the intensity of the flavour. The secret of Kung Pao Chicken is hidden in the time difference: Bowen’s vinegar is poured along the side of the wok ten seconds before the start of the wok, and after the high temperature volatilises the acetic acid, the remaining succinic acid forms a taste gradient with the capsaicinoids released by the burnt shells to create a three-dimensional texture of ‘sour at the front, spicy at the back’. The seemingly light cabbage is actually the originator of molecular cuisine. The old hen and ham are hanged at a constant temperature of 85 degrees for six hours, and the protein colloid suspended in the soup is accurately controlled to be below 0.3 NTU turbidity, which is as clear as a tea broth, but is full of thirty-seven types of free amino acids.
Fermentation process is the soul code of Sichuan flavour. Clay kimchi altar microporous structure, for lactic acid bacteria to create an excellent anoxic environment, when the salinity is maintained at three to four per cent, Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus short metabolites so that the kimchi in thirty days to reach the peak of the flavour – lactic acid content of 1.2 grams per hundred millilitres, the most rounded sour aroma. Pixian Douban brewing is a microbial marathon: the first three months the soybean protein decomposition of Aspergillus oryzae peptides, after three months the yeast will be converted to sugar esters aromatics, during the daily noon sunshine to enhance the enzyme activity, the night to undertake the activation of bacillus sphaericus, and ultimately the taste of amino acids than the raw material soared four times. Quercetin-containing cypress branches are used to smoke the bacon. This flavonoid not only inhibits nitrite production, but the guaiacol produced by its pyrolysis also adds a unique smoky aroma to the meat.
The Sichuan people have shown amazing wisdom in the balancing act of health and flavour. Spicy hot pot dipping sauce in sesame oil and garlic, seemingly simple but contains a buffering mechanism – sesame oil in the mouth to form a hydrophobic film, so that capsaicin and taste buds to reduce the contact area of 40%; allicin promotes the TRPV1 receptor desensitisation, to ease the burning sensation. The accompanying sour plum soup must maintain a pH value of 3.5 to 4.0, in which citric acid reacts with the alkaline benzene ring of capsaicin in a neutralisation reaction, making it three times more efficient than chilled drinks in relieving spiciness. Even a bowl of dan dan noodles hides nutritional ingenuity: the blanched shredded lettuce at the bottom is rich in water-soluble dietary fibre, which adsorbs 30% of the oil on the surface of the noodles, while the arginine provided by crushed peanuts helps to metabolise the saturated fatty acids in the dried meat. Modern tests have confirmed that old Sichuan restaurants that follow ancient methods contain only one-fifth of the monosodium glutamate of industrial seasonings, but twice as much flavour, confirming the science of ‘food as taste’.
