Seasonings are very important in Sichuan Cuisine and many different flavors abound, which can be seen from seasonings such as scallion, ginger, garlic, chili, pepper, Chinese pepper, vinegar, Pixian County bean paste, fermented glutinous rice wine, sugar, salt and so on. If the cook is skillful euough, seven flavors—sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, tongue-numbing, aromatic and salty should be detected.
四川素有 “ 天府之国” 之称， 56万平方公里境内， 物产富庶。烹饪原料多而广。川菜拥有4000多个菜肴点心品种，是由筵席菜、 便餐菜、 家常菜、 三蒸九扣菜、 风味小吃5个大类组成的， 常用烹调技法近40种， 长于小煎、 小炒、 干煸、 干烧、 家常烧等技法。菜品多为经济可口的大众家常菜，风格朴实清新。
Sichuan enjoys a reputation as a "land of abundance". Covering an area of 560,000 square kilometres, it yields rich cooking ingredients. Sichuan Cuisine boasts more than 4,000 courses, divided into five types, such as feast dishes, refreshment dishes, home-style dishes, steamed dishes and characteristic snacks. There are nearly40 kinds of common cooking techniques, especially sautéing, frying, stirfrying without stewing, dryfrying, home-style frying and so on. Most are economic and flavorful home style dishes, simple and fresh.
麻婆豆腐：为四川省的传统风味菜肴。相传在清朝同治末年， 成都有位陈姓妇女脸上生有麻子， 但烧得一手好菜， 经营餐馆以豆腐的味道最为特别， 麻辣味鲜、 色泽红亮， 深受群众喜爱， 因而得名。
Mapo (meaning "pockmarked lady" in Chinese) Tofu (Sautéed Tofu in Hot and Spicy Sauce): It is a traditional flavorful dish. It is said that towards the end of the reign of Tongzhi (1862-1875) of the Qing Dynasty, there was a lady surnamed Chen, who was pockmarked but was a very good cook. The tofu in her restaurant was especially tasty with spicy, tongue-numbing flavor and bright red color, which was deeply loved by her customers.
鱼香肉丝：色红肉嫩， 鱼香味突出。因模仿民间烹鱼的调料和方法制作， 故名鱼香。
回锅肉：红绿相衬， 咸中带甜， 微辣醇鲜、 味浓而香， 是四川的传统菜肴。
Fish-Flavored Shredded Pork (Sautéed Shredded Pork with Spicy Garlic Sauce): Its meat is red and tender. It imitates the seasoning and method of cooking fish, hence its name.
Twice Cooked Pork Slices (Sautéed Sliced Pork with Pepper and Chili): Its color is red and green; its taste is salty with a little sweet and spicy flavor and it is fragrant.
