Sichuan Dish Name Guide
Forty-four Sichuan dishes with the English name to order by, a heat level, whether Sichuan pepper is used, and what to ask before it arrives.
Sichuan menus use two separate words that English usually merges: ma (numbing, from Sichuan pepper) and la (hot, from chili). "Mala" is both at once. This guide lists 44 dishes with an English name you can order by, a heat level from mild to very hot, and whether the dish relies on Sichuan pepper — the detail that decides whether you will enjoy it.
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Three words that order Sichuan food
Sichuan cooking separates numbing from heat, and adds a third flavour built on dried chili.
Sichuan pepper (huajiao) makes the tongue tingle. It is not chili heat. If you dislike the tingle, say "no huajiao" rather than "not spicy".
Chili heat is adjustable in most kitchens. "Wei la" means mild, "zhong la" medium, "te la" very hot.
Dried chilies fried until almost black give a smoky aroma with less raw heat. It is the base of kung pao and dry-fried dishes.
How to read a Sichuan name
The last word is the ingredient: yu is fish, niu rou is beef, dou fu is tofu. The word before it is the treatment: shui zhu is boiled in chili oil, gan bian is dry-fried, hui guo is boiled then stir-fried again.
Names built on places or people — mapo, dandan, dengying — should stay phonetic. Names built on cooking method should be translated, because the method is what the diner needs to know.