Eat like a local: Sichuan

Spicy and numbing foods make region iconic in China

Many Chinese people consider Chengdu and Chong¬qing the gourmet capitals of China. Many believe eating spicy food there will not give you any problem, because the cities are humid.

Therefore do not be afraid to try a spicy hot pot of beef, lamb or bullfrog. There will be plenty of side dishes to go with the hot pot, including mushrooms, vegetables and seafood.

For appetizers, a typical Sichuan restaurant offers two types of sausages: spicy and original.

You can dig into a tongue-numbing chicken, served with fresh red and sometimes green chili. The fresh dark-green pepper gives the chopped chicken a refreshingly spicy flavor.

Fried garlic greens with preserved pork is a classic Sichuan dish, and goes extremely well with rice.

Another classic is tea-smoked duck, which is a bit chewy but not greasy.

For more classic Sichuan specialties, try fish boiled in spicy soup, mapo toufu (pictured), dandan noodles and kungpao diced chicken.