QDC presents an Evening at Szechuan House
Much like New York City, Chengdu, Sichuan is hot and humid at this time of year. During the dog days of summer the locals know the best way to drive heat and humidity out of the body is a spicy feast singing with the signature Sichuan ma la (numb hot) flavor, a combination of mouth tingling Sichuan peppercorns and fiery chilies. For QDC’s August dinner we’re following their lead with a banquet at Szechuan House, a 30-year old Flushing spot whose Chinese name Chuan Ba Wang means Sichuan River King. It’s especially apt because water-poached fish, served in a bubbling brazier, the head and tail breaching a fiery lake, is one of seven items on the menu:
Cold Delights
Spicy Cucumber Salad 口口脆黄瓜
(cucumber with garlic & chili)
Black fungus with spicy & sour sauce 酸辣木耳
(wood ear mushrooms with garlic & vinegar)
Mouth-watering chicken 口水雞
(poached chicken with crispy soybeans in chili-sesame-soy sauce)
The Main Event
Cumin lamb with red chili 香辣孜然羊
(A fiery fragrant fryup of tender lamb)
Braised whole fish with bok choy & tofu 江北水煮鱼
(A specialty of Chengdu’s Jiangbai district)
Mapo Tofu 麻婆豆腐
(creamy curds of tofu with chili and minced pork)
Dry fried beef threads 干煸牛肉丝
(crunchy salty pork strips with dry chilies and garlic)