Sichuan cuisine in the context of Leshan

Kung Pao chicken (Chinese: 宮保雞丁; pinyin: Gōngbǎo jīdīng; Wade–Giles: Kung-pao chi-ting; Zhuyin Fuhao: ㄍㄨㄥ ㄅㄠˇ ㄐㄧ ㄉㄧㄥ), also transcribed Gong Bao or Kung Po, is a spicy, stir-fried Chinese dish made with cubes of cooked chicken, peanuts, vegetables and chili peppers, and Sichuan peppercorns. From its origins in Sichuan cuisine, the dish's popularity has spread throughout China, spawning a number of regional variations—some of which are less spicy than the classic version.

Chili oil or chile oil is a condiment made from vegetable oil that has been infused with chili peppers. Different types of oil and hot peppers are used, and other components may also be included. It is commonly used in Chinese cuisine, Mexico, Italy, and elsewhere. It is particularly popular in Chinese cuisine, especially western Chinese cuisines, such as Sichuan cuisine, Hunan cuisine, Guizhou cuisine, and Shaanxi cuisine, where it is used as an ingredient in cooked dishes, as well as as a condiment. It is sometimes used as a dip for meat and dim sum. It is also employed in the Korean Chinese noodle soup dish jjamppong. A closely related condiment in Chinese cuisine is chili crisp, which contains edible chunks of food and chilis in oil.

Chili oil is typically red in color. It is made from vegetable oil, often soybean oil or sesame oil, although olive oil or other oils may be used. Other spices may be included, such as Sichuan pepper, garlic, or paprika. Commercial preparations may include other kinds of oil, water, dried garlic, soy sauce, and sugar. Recipes targeted to Western cooks also suggest other popular oils, such as rapeseed, grapeseed or peanut, and any dried or fresh chili peppers. The solids typically settle to the bottom of the container in which it is stored. When using chili oil, the cook or diner may choose how much of the solids to use; sometimes only the oil is used, without any solids.

The Sichuan Basin (Chinese: 四川盆地; pinyin: Sìchuān Péndì), formerly transliterated as the Szechwan Basin, sometimes called the Red Basin, is a lowland region in southwestern China. It is surrounded by mountains on all sides and is drained by the upper Yangtze River and its tributaries. The basin is anchored by Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, in the west, and the direct-administered municipality of Chongqing in the east. Due to its relative flatness and fertile soils, it is able to support a population of more than 100 million. In addition to being a dominant geographical feature of the region, the Sichuan Basin also constitutes a cultural sphere that is distinguished by its own unique customs, cuisine and dialects. It is famous for its rice cultivation and is often considered the breadbasket of China. In the 21st century its industrial base is expanding with growth in the high-tech, aerospace, and petroleum industries.

Doubanjiang (traditional Chinese: 豆瓣醬; simplified Chinese: 豆瓣酱; pinyin: dòubànjiàng, IPA: [tôʊpântɕjâŋ]), also known as douban, toban-djan, broad bean chili sauce, or fermented chili bean paste, is a hot and savory Chinese bean paste made from fermented broad beans (fava beans), chili peppers, soybeans, salt, and flour. Characteristically used in Sichuan cuisine, it has been called "the soul of Sichuan cuisine." Sichuan dishes such as mapo tofu, huoguo (Sichuan hotpot), yuxiang flavoring, and shuizhu all use doubanjiang as a key ingredient. Other regions have their own versions: in Guangdong and Taiwan, for instance, Sichuan doubanjiang is called la-doubanjiang (Chinese: 辣豆瓣醬, "la" (辣) meaning "hot" or "spicy") to distinguish it from plainer versions.

Sichuan pepper (Chinese: 花椒; pinyin: huājiāo) is a spice made from the dried pericarp (outer shell of the fruit) of a plant of the genus Zanthoxylum in the family Rutaceae. It is commonly used in Sichuan cuisine of China and in the cuisines of the Himalayas. Despite its name, Sichuan pepper is not closely related to black pepper or chili peppers. Instead, Zanthoxylum plants are in the same family as citrus and rue.

When eaten, Sichuan pepper produces a tingling, numbing effect due to the presence of hydroxy-alpha sanshool. It is used in Sichuan dishes such as mapo doufu and Chongqing hot pot, and is often added to chili peppers to create a flavor known as málà (Chinese: 麻辣; 'numb-spiciness').

Guizhou cuisine, or Qian cuisine, consists of cooking traditions and dishes from Guizhou Province in southwestern China. Guizhou cuisine shares many features with Sichuan cuisine and Hunan cuisine, especially in bringing the sensation of spiciness and pungency. What makes Guizhou cuisine unique is the emphasis of a mixed sour-and-spicy taste, as compared to the numbing-and-hot sensation (麻辣; má là) featured in Sichuan cuisine and the dry-hot taste (干辣; 乾辣; gān là) featured in Hunan cuisine. There is an ancient local saying, "Without eating a sour dish for three days, people will stagger with weak legs". The saying reflects how Guizhou people love local dishes with a sour taste. The combination of sour and spicy flavours is also found in Shaanxi cuisine. Guizhou cuisine differs from Shaanxi cuisine in that it lacks the emphasis on the salty taste, which is a common trait found in most northern Chinese cuisines. In addition, the unique sourness featured in Guizhou cuisine comes from the local tradition of fermenting vegetables or grains, and not from using vinegar products.

Guizhou cuisine comprises many local varieties and dishes from ethnic minorities, such as the Miao people. Some famous local cuisines are represented by large cities like Guiyang, Zunyi, and Liupanshui.