China’s spicy food is legendary. While much of it is region-specific; from spicy Hunan to numbing Sichuan, there are also the nationwide favourites. The Nanjinger presents ten of the very best.
中国的辛辣食物是传奇。 虽然其中大部分是特定地区的；从辛辣的湖南到麻木的四川，也有全国最受欢迎的。 《南京人》呈现了十个最好的。
10. Suan Cai Yu (酸菜鱼）
10. 素菜鱼（酸菜鱼）
“Suan Cai Yu” can be simply described as poached fish with pickled greens. The latter provides the sourness, which is the main taste of the dish, so the heat of chili is relatively low, compared with other spicy foods. It is a wise choice for beginners to spicy Chinese food for their first try.
“Suan Cai Yu”可以简单地描述为水煮鱼配腌菜。 后者提供了酸味，这是这道菜的主要味道，所以与其他辛辣食物相比，辣椒的热度相对较低。 对于第一次尝试辛辣中餐的初学者来说，这是一个明智的选择。
9. Kou Shui Ji（口水鸡）
9. 口水鸡
Literally translated as “Saliva Chicken”; you are sure to salivate when you even think about it. Stewed chicken is cooled and marinated in chili oil sauce and sesame paste, with additional fresh chilies and dried peanut. Different from other spicy dishes, this one is a cold appetiser, which means it is very suitable to eat in the summer.
字面翻译为“唾液鸡”；当你想到它时，你肯定会流口水。 炖鸡冷却并用辣椒油酱和芝麻酱腌制，再加上新鲜辣椒和花生干。 与其他辛辣菜肴不同，这是一道冷菜，这意味着它非常适合在夏天吃。
8. Chuan Bei Liang Fen（川北凉粉）
8. 川北凉粉
Like Kou Shui Ji, this is also a cold appetiser, and always popular everywhere in China during summertime. “Liang Fen” is one type of jelly noodles, usually made of mung bean starch. It is crystal, smooth and cool just like jelly. “Liang Fen” itself is quite tasteless, so the sauce inside and other ingredients contribute the overall taste most.
和Kou Shui Ji一样，这也是一种冷的开胃菜，在夏天在中国各地都很受欢迎。 “Liang Fen”是一种果冻面，通常由绿豆淀粉制成。 它是晶莹剔透的，光滑而凉爽，就像果冻一样。 “Liang Fen”本身相当无味，所以里面的酱汁和其他配料对整体味道贡献最大。
7. Gong Bao Ji Ding（宫爆鸡丁）
7. 宫爆鸡丁（宫爆鸡丁）
Also going by its Cantonese moniker, “Kung Pao Chicken”, this dish got its name in the late Qing Dynasty, from a governor of Sichuan, Ding Baozhen. In Sichuanese, “Gong Bao” means “small stir-fry”. The chicken is evenly cut into small pieces and then cooked over a high flame, and stirred constantly. Other ingredients, such as crunchy peanuts and juicy spring onions, work together to improve the dish’s oral sensation.
这道菜的粤语绰号是“功夫鸡”，在清朝晚期以四川省省长丁宝珍的名字命名。 在四川语中，“Gong Bao”的意思是“小炒菜”。 将鸡肉均匀地切成小块，然后在大火上煮熟，并不断搅拌。 其他成分，如松脆的花生和多汁的葱，共同改善了这道菜的口感。
6. Ma Po Tou Fu（麻婆豆腐）
6. 麻婆豆腐（麻婆豆腐）
Originally obtaining its name from its creator, Ma Po, it is recorded that there was an old woman (indicates the word “Po”), who got some pock marks (indicates the word “Ma”) on her face, and was famous for her tou fu dishes. However, some guests told her that they wanted some meat rather than just tou fu, so now, not only tou fu, but also some beef or pork and other vegetables are included. Besides, broad bean paste and fermented black beans contribute a complexity of flavours; at the same time, the freshly grounded peppercorn powder enhances the level of the dish’s numbing taste.
它的名字最初来自它的创造者Ma Po，据记载，有一个老妇人（表示“Po”一词），她脸上有一些斑纹（表示“Ma”一词），以她的tou fu菜肴而闻名。 然而，一些客人告诉她，他们想要一些肉，而不仅仅是头肉，所以现在不仅包括头肉，还包括一些牛肉或猪肉和其他蔬菜。 此外，蚕豆酱和发酵黑豆为风味增添了复杂性；同时，现磨的胡椒粉增强了菜肴令人麻木的味道。
5. Ran Mian（燃面）
5. 冉面（燃面）
This dish originated from Yibin, Sichuan Province, and its name can be directly translated into “burning noodles”, for there is so much oil added inside, the noodles can even be burnt with a match. In fact, it is also composed of green vegetables and chopped peanuts with a salty and spicy meat sauce. The vegetables precisely balance the oily taste, while the peanuts taste especially good with the meat sauce.
这道菜起源于四川省宜宾，它的名字可以直接翻译为“烧面”，因为里面加了很多油，面条甚至可以用火柴烧焦。 事实上，它也由绿色蔬菜和切碎的花生配上咸辣肉酱组成。 蔬菜精确地平衡了油味，而花生配上肉酱的味道特别好。
4. Suan La Fen （酸辣粉）
4. Suan La Fen（酸辣粉）
Some people will call it “Hot and Sour noodles”, but in fact, in Chinese, “Fen”, made of sweet potato noodles, is chewier than common noodles, “Mian”, which is made of wheat (like “Ran Mian”), and usually translucent. Together with chili oil, a large amount of vinegar is added to create a both spicy and sour taste. There are numerous versions of “Sour and Spicy Fen” everywhere, but the most basic ones always contain ingredients such as dried peanuts and caraway.
有些人会称它为“酸辣面”，但事实上，在中文中，由红薯面制成的“Fen”比普通面条更有嚼劲，“Mian”由小麦制成（如“Ran Mian”），通常半透明。 与辣椒油一起，加入大量的醋，创造出既辣又酸的味道。 到处都是许多版本的“酸辣芬”，但最基本的总是含有花生干和香菜等配料。
3. Mao Xue Wang （毛血旺）
3. 毛血旺（毛血旺）
Personally, this one is my current favourite. It is like an “all-in-one” dish; ingredients comprising ham, duck blood jelly, tripe, large intestine, chicken gizzards and so on. For foreigners, this dish can be a little bit difficult to accept because of these weird ingredients and the heat level, but actually it is very popular among local people. So if you fancy a challenge…
就我个人而言，这是我目前最喜欢的。 它就像一道“多合一”的菜肴；配料包括火腿、鸭血果冻、内脏、大肠、鸡肠等。 对于外国人来说，由于这些奇怪的配料和热量，这道菜可能有点难以接受，但实际上它在当地人中非常受欢迎。 所以，如果你喜欢挑战……
2. Gan Guo（干锅）
2. 干锅（干锅）
This can be seen as another member of the hot pot family; I would rather express it as “hot pot without water” or “Dry Pot”. So basically, Gan Guo is not soup based; its spiciness comes from seasonings such as ginger, chili, pepper and garlic. The bigger, main ingredients depend on personal taste; you can order whatever you like.
这可以被看作是火锅家族的另一个成员；我更愿意把它表达为“没有水的火锅”或“干锅”。 所以基本上，甘果不是以汤为基础的；它的辣味来自于生姜、辣椒、胡椒和大蒜等调味料。 较大的主要成分取决于个人口味；你可以点任何你喜欢的东西。
1. Huo Guo/Hot Pot （火锅）
1. 霍国/火锅（火锅）
This one is absolutely many people’s all-time favourite (including me). With the flavour depending on the soup base, one of the most popular is always the spicy option. However, if not everyone in your group can bear the chili, luckily, a new style called “Yuan Yang Pot” has emerged, one half spicy, and the other mushroom-based or tomato-based. You choose!
这绝对是许多人一直以来的最爱（包括我）。 味道取决于汤底，最受欢迎的之一总是辛辣的选择。 然而，如果不是你团队中的每个人都能忍受辣椒，幸运的是，一种叫做“元阳锅”的新风格出现了，一半是辣的，另一个是蘑菇或西红柿。 你选！
