World Cafe Asia - Chengdu, Sichuan - China

Sichuan province is one of the most populated in China and is world famous for the hot spiciness of its cuisine. Bobby Chinn comes to Sichuan to discover the secrets of its reputation and learns that things are not as straightforward as they might seem. During the show Bobby cooks 3 Classic Sichuan dishes - each exemplifying the variety and complexity of the regions cuisine.

First Bobby learns how to make the internationally renowned Gong Bao Chicken with British born Chinese writer and Sichuan food connoisseur: Fuschia Dunlop. Second Bobby learns a more complex dish, Fish Fragrant Eggplant which was originally created to disguise the smell of pungent fish. Lastly, Bobby strikes out on his own with a Sichuan folk classic, Pock Marked Mother Chen's Beancurd, named after the unfortunate face of its creator.

The programme begins in Sichuan's capitall city, Chengdu, where Bobby visits one of its colourful street markets with Fuschia who introduces Bobby to Sichuan's single most important ingredient: Sichuan pepper. The pepper is nothing like conventional pepper - as Bobby learns when he tastes some - and its mouth numbing effects have been compared to a dental anaesthetic. Fuschia then shows Bobby how the pepper is used to great effect in the dish Gong Bao Chicken.

Next, Bobby decides to explore the older parts of Chengdu and visits the 9th century Buddhist monastery and temple of Wenshu. He also takes advantage of the temples vegetarian restaurant where he eats with the monks but has some difficulty sticking to the rigid code of silence in the main dining room. The food is good but to Bobby's surprise it too contains the mouth numbing pepper.

In contrast to the simplicity of monastic dining Bobby pays a visit the largest cooking school in China. He enrols in a class on vegetable carving before having a private lesson with one of the schools top chefs, Chin Chin, who shows Bobby how to make Fish Fragrant Eggplant, a dish famed for the complexity of its sauce.

The countryside around Chengdu is some of the most fertile in China earning it the name, Land of Plenty. Bobby heads out of town for a taste of provincial hearty folk cooking. Travelling by boat down the tranquil yellow river, Bobby passes farms and cormorant fishermen before stopping at the ancient town of Huanglong Xi. The town provided the back drop to many epic Chinese films including Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Bobby samples some of the locally made bean curd and learns how to relax Sichuan style in one of the provinces ubiquitous tea gardens, where... let's just say he gets an earful. Inspired by his trip Bobby cooks the folk classic Pock Marked Mother Chen's Beancurd.

Sichuan cuisine is not just about tradition, as Bobby soon discovers. Back in Chengdu, Fuschia invites Bobby to a dinner party at one of the cities most talked about restaurants: Yu Bo. The spread is an impressive and surprising array of classic dishes served with a modern twist. From Camphor and Tea-Smoked Duck to Jasmine Blossom Jelly with Gold-Leafed Black Truffles. Bobby is in heaven.

Bobby completes his journey with a visit to Chengdu's world famous Panda Breeding Centre. Pandas were once common in this part of China but have now become an endangered species. The breeding centre boasts 3 recent Panda births and Bobby gets to meet one of the youngest, Tao Mao, an experience which makes his trip even more unforgettable.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Mainland China
• Asia
• China
• Sichuan
• Cheng Du
• World Cafe Asia
• Planet Food
• Globe Trekker
• Bobby Chinn
• Gong Bao Chicken
• Wenshu
• Fish Fragrant Eggplant
• Huanglong Xi
• Panda