Why Is Mala so Addictive? All about This Numbing Spicy Sensation | Eat China: Back to Basics S4E6

Spice addicts love mala. Wonder what the science behind that is? Also, how did the sensation become the hallmark of Sichuan cuisine?

This is the sixth episode of our new season of “Eat China: Back to Basics,” where we answer burning questions you might have about Chinese food.

0:00 What is mala
01:48 How to make a mala dish
03:08 Why is mala so addictive
04:31 How mala got so popular
06:08 Sichuan food is more than mala

If you liked this video, we have more explainers about Chinese food:

Why Bamboo Steamers Make the Perfect Dim Sum | Eat China: Back to Basics S4E5

Is There A Right Way to Use Chopsticks? | Eat China: Back to Basics S4E4

Producer: Yoyo Chow
Videographer: Guo Yong
Editor: César del Giudice
Narration: Victoria Ho
Animation: Stella Yoo
Mastering: César del Giudice

#mala #sichuan #spicy

[Goldthread]

Still remember the first time you had mala food? What was that like🥵?

[chenliang]

Ah the legendary and timeless tomato and egg stir fry.

[calatheaflamestar]

I can assure you *it is addicting.*
During the pandemic I was obsessed with foods like mapo tofu (and everything with sichuan style chilli oil) but my stomach can't cope with the spicy food anymore... I had trouble swallowing and couldn't eat anything real for weeks. Attention people with *heartburn* and *stomach* problems - *don't overdo it* ❗❗❗

[BenjiSun]

sichuan peppers is actually not related to peppercorns which are stone fruits(like apricots or peaches). sichuan pepper is actually a very specialized citrus, in the same genus as other prickly ash, like Japanese sansho (sprinkled over grilled freshwater eel - unagi kabayaki)

[tngchinghwa]

lmao, the ending part when they asking the kid, and he answered a dish that's not sichuan specialty, gold comedy

[bobbymoss]

I love this channel so much, I love hearing all the different regional dialects spoken through out China.

[atlasaltera]

Great intro for people, but peppers didn't arrive in China in the 15th century. The Columbian exchange would've happened at the very earliest in the 16th century, or 1500s, as the first voyage to the Americas from Europe happened in what, 1492?

[MonsieurDecent]

We live in Los Angeles. We noticed in the last ~2 years, many non-ethnic-Chinese young Americans in their 20's and 30's were hooked on mala. While feeling very funny and happy for them, we hopes they also knew mala was not the only flavour of REAL Chinese food.

[XJP]

Delicious mala. I'm salivating and sweating just watching this video. 🥵🤤

[erikandersson]

Looking at this while sitting on the toilet after eating some mala. Trying to think - it’s not a real fire down there, just the fire alarm 😅

[padredemishijos]

Spanish and Portuguese brought the red chili peppers from South America and New Spain. The Amazonian chili pepper is a sub species of the normal peppers.

[altang]

so where can we find information on the other 23 flavors?

[SuperStargazer]

I love it!!!
Sechuan peppercorns really are addicting

[pawealbrzykowski]

Wonderful, mala taste is my favourite for last 40 years

[purplealice]

Fuchsia, you are my idol.I own four of your cookbooks - my family has instructions to give me a new one whevever it's released around CHristmastime

[erickchandra]

Szechwan peppercorns make this taste very distinctive. I really love mala flavour ❤️
It's a combination between spicy, minty and lil bit of electric shocking. Tastes so fresh in my mouth.

[randmayfield]

I love mala but have a question. How does one deal with those hard little seeds found in the hull? One site recommended to use a spice grinder and make the prickly ash into as fine a powder as you can.

[stoopidness]

If I could eat mala every meal, I would 😅

[johnchernabcinterviewandca]

The accent that the guy in Black has is

[jamespayter]

5:31 - That's Park Street in Bristol. I'm really glad she showed this, as there have been seom decent Szechuanese joints opening up around this area in recent years. Chilli Daddy in particular is fantastic. It's nice to get to try some Chinese food that isn't the bastardised, sugary version of Cantonese that we are all so used to. (There are some decent, proper Cantonese BBQ meat joints though - Nice and Spice being one of them. Their duck is superb!)