Chinese Food Made Easy Season 1 Episode 3 Season 1, Episode 3

Chinese Food Made Easy is a show that delves deep into the world of Chinese cuisine and helps its viewers to create mouth-watering dishes easily at home. The show's host, Ching-He Huang, is an experienced chef who simplifies the complex ingredients and techniques of Chinese cooking to make it more accessible to people from all around the world.

In the third episode of the first season, Ching-He Huang takes us on a culinary journey that focuses on the taste of China's spicy Sichuan Province. The episode starts with Ching-He Huang giving us a brief introduction to Sichuan cuisine and its signature bold and pungent flavors, which she describes as "numbingly spicy".

The first dish she prepares is Kung Pao Chicken, one of the most famous dishes from Sichuan that is known for its hot, sweet, and sour flavors. Ching-He Huang starts by marinating the chicken in Shaoxing rice wine, light soy sauce, and cornflour. Then, she stir-fries the chicken with Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, ginger, dried red chilies, and peanuts. She finishes the dish with rice vinegar, sugar, and a drizzle of sesame oil.

Next up is Dan Dan Noodles, a classic Sichuan dish that features chewy noodles, spicy minced pork, and a rich sesame sauce. Ching-He Huang starts by making the sauce, which includes tahini, soy sauce, Sichuan peppercorns, and chili oil. She then fries minced pork with garlic, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns to add some heat, and boils the noodles until they're soft. Finally, she combines everything in a bowl and garnishes it with scallions.

For the main course, Ching-He Huang prepares Mapo Tofu, a popular Sichuan dish that is famous for its silky tofu and spicy minced pork sauce. She starts by frying garlic, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns in hot oil, then adds minced pork and fermented black beans to create a robust sauce. She adds some water and a block of soft tofu, letting it simmer until the tofu soaks up all the flavors. Finally, she adds a drizzle of chili oil and a sprinkle of scallions to make the dish more authentic.

The final dish of the day is a sweet treat called Sweet Sticky Rice Dumplings, which are a common delicacy in Sichuan Province. The filling of these dumplings varies from savory to sweet, but in this recipe, Ching-He Huang opts for a sweet coconut filling. She starts by steaming glutinous rice and dividing it into small balls. She then makes a coconut filling by combining coconut flakes with sugar and cornflour. She stuffs the balls with the coconut mixture and steams them again until they're soft and gooey.

Overall, Season 1, Episode 3 of Chinese Food Made Easy is a must-watch for anyone who wants to learn more about the bold, pungent, and spicy flavors of Sichuan Province. Ching-He Huang's easy-to-follow recipes and cooking techniques make it easy for viewers to recreate these dishes in their own kitchens.