Spicing Up History

The rich tapestry of culinary history reveals the intricate evolution of flavors and ingredients, and the story of Sichuan cuisine provides a captivating window into this world. Ancient Sichuan, seasoned with rock salt, indigenous peppercorns, ginger, and a soy sauce-based master stock, laid the foundation for a unique gastronomic tradition. During the Han dynasty, the introduction of garlic and other plants expanded the palate, but the most significant transformation came with the arrival of chili peppers, known as "sea peppers" to distinguish them from native peppercorns.

This addition, likely no more than 400 years ago, added a fiery dimension to Sichuan cuisine.

The journey of chili peppers into China took several potential routes, with a late 1500s mention of "foreign pepper" possibly referring to these fiery gems. They initially spread inland, following the course of the Yangtze River, eventually making their way to Hunan and, from there, disseminating across the country. The decision to incorporate chili peppers into Sichuan cuisine had several plausible motivations. Their use aided food preservation, a critical concern for inland regions. The relative stability of the Sichuan basin, protected from invasions, promoted culinary refinement and experimentation, making the locals more receptive to new ingredients.

A pivotal moment in Sichuan's culinary history came at the end of the Ming dynasty when a catastrophic population decline occurred due to famine and war, reducing the population from several million to a mere 600-800 thousand. This demographic upheaval created a void in the transmission of Sichuan cuisine, allowing for the incorporation of new ingredients and techniques.

Sichuan dishes and flavors, often described as "7 tastes and 8 smells" I hate smell word I love to say as " 7 Tastes & Flavour "

The result was a remarkable diversity of Sichuan dishes and flavors, often described as "7 tastes and 8 smells." During the mid-Qing dynasty, 38 different cooking methods were recorded in the Sichuan region, and toward the end of the Qing dynasty, over 2500 Sichuan dishes were documented, demonstrating the cuisine's remarkable evolution.

Eight characteristics: tingly-numb from Timur , spicy from Chilli , hot from Black pepper , fragrant spices , crispy from lemon , tender , fresh , lively, taken together, these characteristics are representative of Sichuan cuisine.This all found in our Newari Kitchen and Thakali Kitchen from Nepal.

Today, Sichuan is informally known as the "Heavenly Country" because it has a plentiful supply of food and natural resources. Their food is complex and includes seven basic flavors including sour, pungent, hot, sweet, bitter, aromatic and salty.

In contrast, the Indian subcontinent had already developed a rich tradition of spices long before the introduction of chili peppers. Long peppers, known as pippali in Nepali, were integral to Nepalese cuisine and had mentions in ancient Hindu texts like the Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda, as well as in Roman and Greek writings. They were used in various recipes, particularly in pickles and dishes exploiting their supposed health benefits. Other spices such as black pepper, ginger, cardamom, cloves, cumin, and mustard also had a well-documented presence in both Indian subcontinental and Roman culinary traditions.

The transition from long peppers to chili peppers in Indian cuisine was driven by factors like cost and ease of cultivation. The Indian climate and soil were conducive to growing chili peppers effectively, making them a more accessible and economical choice. Over time, through selective breeding, chilies became hotter, gradually increasing the "heat" quotient of Indian cuisine, evolving its flavors in a subtler, incremental manner.

In contemporary Indian cooking, the use of a diverse array of spices like black pepper, cardamom, cloves, and cumin continues to create the complex and enticing flavor profiles found in dishes such as Garam Masala.

The word masala simply means "spices," and garam means "hot." However, garam masala doesn't necessarily constitute a particularly spicy blend. It vary people to people, family to family and region to region. It also depend on proportion of spices with indivisual preference, I love cardamom bit of extra in my garam masala like my mum used to love nutmeg.

This aromatic blend is crafted by roasting spices like black peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf, pipala, bay leaves, tej patta and cumin, adding depth and richness to the cuisine.

The journey of spices and ingredients across time and space weaves a captivating narrative, revealing the dynamic evolution of our culinary heritage.

I will connect to Nepal in next article.