The Myth About Whether Spicy Food Is Good Or Bad — ChongQing Noodle Recipe
Speaking of ChongQing, a southwest municipality city next to Szechuan Province, most Chinese people will immediately think of hotpot. But according to the national CCTV channel, Chongqing Noodle is the signature dish in Chongqing Cuisine, just like Moo goo gai chicken recipe in Cantonese Cuisine and szechuan mapo tofu recipe in Szhchuan Cuisine. Even though this recipe is not considered as one of the most authentic traditional Chinese recipes, it’s a must-try for spicy food lover.
Is having spicy food good or bad for skin? Unfortunately, I have an acne-prone skin type. So from my childhood, I’ve heard voices from doctors or my Mom that I should keep away from spicy food. But I always ask them why people live in Szechuan or ChongQing eat spicy food every day, but their skin is flawless and smooth. I was kind of confused and jealous!
The mystery was finally solved when I met some friends from ChongQing. Chinese people often believe that human beings are shaped by the land and water around them. Here is the interesting part: ChongQing is surrounded by mountains and lakes. On average, there are 100 foggy days annually, which explained why ChongQing is famously know as “the capital of fog”.
There’s pros and cons living in such humid place. On one hand, humidity is essential for maintaining a beautiful skin. But once extra humidity is accumulated inside the human body, you need to get it out to avoid sickness. Spicy food can do that perfectly! But be careful! What works in ChongQing does not necessarily work in other regions. For example, if a ChongQing person moves to Beijing, a drier place, and continues to eat spicy food, it’s not fun anymore!
In one word, we are all what we eat depending on where we live. To find the right balance in life, food and everything is the key! That’s the message from universe!
Now let’s get ready to cook our own ChongQing Noodle!
Ingredients:
noodles 200 g
rape 50 g
pork bone 1
white sesame seed 1 teaspoon
soy sauce 1/2 tablespoon
vinegar 1/2 tablespoon
pepper 1/2 teaspoon
sesame oil 1/2 tablespoon
scallion 2, divided
peanut 50 g
salt 1 teaspoon
clove garlic, 1 tablespoon minced
parsley 50 g
preserved vegetables 1 tablespoon, chopped
chili powder 1 tablespoon
szechuan peppercorn powder 1 teaspoon
ginger powder 1 teaspoon
oil 2 tablespoons
(to learn more about essential Chinese cooking ingredients)
Steps:
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add pork bone, ginger and scallion. Boil for 1 hour over low heat.
At the same time, do the next few steps:
2. Add chili powder and white sesame in a small bowl.
3. Heat up two tablespoon oil in a pan for 1 minute over high heat.
4. Pour hot oil into the small bowl used in step 2. Stir and mix well. Set aside for later use.
5. Stir-fry peanuts for 5 mintues. Remove and crush peanuts to small pieces.
6. Take a medium bowl. Add chopped green onions, garlic, ginger, pepper, preserved vegetables, mustard, chopped peanuts, soy sauce, vinegar, chili oil in step 4 and sesame oil.
7. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Boil the noodles until cooked.
8. Add the rape to boil for 1 minute.
9. Add boiled bone soup to medium bowl prepared in step 6.
10. Transfer noodles and rape to the medium bowl. Sprinkle some parsley and scallion.
Ready to serve!
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