I have recently been watching a tv programme on BBC with Ken Hom and Chin-He Huang, 'Exploring China'. Generally, my favourite cookery programmes involve travelling with tasting local specialties and trying different takes using local ingredients. This was just as inspiring as other such delights such as Two Greedy Italians and The Very Hungry Frenchman, but using my favourite element - spice!
Inspired, I spent a morning at the local chinese supermarket, trying to unravel spices I had never heard of and finding it wholly strange experience. I had previously never even heard of schezwan peppercorn, and when Chin-He Huang kept saying it was a 'numbing heat', I thought she was just a bit crazy. Little did I know...
I also treated myself to chinese five spice, dried lemongrass powder, chilli bean paste, chilli powder, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, all kinds of noodles, a large bag of frozen mixed seafood and fresh thai basil, coriander and chilli.
That evening i used my (also newly bought) wok, to make a spicy schezwan stir fry. I used a teaspoon of the peppercorns and my normal loading of spices, fresh and dry, leaning towards the chinese mix (hence without cumin). The result was outstandingly spicy, and I definitely learnt what that numbing heat she was talking about was! It was like eat a dish with way too much pepper, but as with anything spicy, it was helplessly addictive. I wanted to eat it again the next night, but my husband protested with full might, rightfully warning against consuming that level of spice two days in a row. Shame.
Although the wok has not come out as much since that week as I'd like, I am very glad to have branched out my spice repertoire to include the dragon with my traditional tiger.
