Heatseekers: 7 spicy dishes to keep you warm in Beijing
For those who like it hot, these fiery dishes are not to be missed
Nothing cuts through the wind chill or breaks up polluted and cold days like a punch in the face from some fiery Chinese cuisine. Basted in chilli oil, mounded with freshly sliced chillies, coated in pickled chillies, or almost completely hidden by cracked dried chillies – we'll eat just about anything imbued with enough heat. Yet when it comes to the spicier things, these dishes have got the balance of flavour, texture and face-melting heat down.
Mala oupian, 麻辣藕片
A surprisingly light entry from the seat of heat, Sichuan province, these thin slices of steamed lotus root are layered ever so daintily on a bed of chilli paste and minced peanuts. The crunch of the aquatic veggie never disappoints and the naturally porous flesh soaks up a good licking of hot oil and numbing huajiao, Sichuan peppercorns.
Find it Most Sichuan chains and back-alley spots feature this dish, but our favourite (for indeed many on this list) can be found at Zhang Mama.
Koushuiji, 口水鸡
Koushuiji, of the mala or the non-mala variety, is like the pizza of the Sichuanese canon: almost universally loved, featured in restaurants that have no business attempting it and easily one of the most accessible dishes for first-timers out there. A cold dish often served as a starter, the poached chicken is sliced or chopped (on the bone so watch them chompers) and added to a mixture of chilli oil, sesame oil, fermented chilli paste, scallions and, depending on the heat level and inclination of the chef, a hearty dose of Sichuan peppercorn oil and some fresh chillies. The cool succulent chicken contrasts the fiery colour and flavour of the sauce, producing a dissonance that does nothing if not pique the appetite for more spicy fare.
Find it Street-side versions of this humble classic are a must but our favourite is the more elevated and dignified version found at Jing Yaa Tang.
Reganmian, 热干面
Hailing from Hubei’s capital Wuhan, hot-dry noodles have long been a breakfast staple for the people of Hubei and are now found on many street corners around China, including in our fair city. Freshly cooked wheaten noodles, pickled carrot and, occasionally, minced pork, are mixed with a thick sesame paste-based sauce. A splash of chilli oil livens up what is already a supremely flavourful and rich noodle dish, but make sure to ask for extra spicy to really get your engine (not to mention bowels) going.
Find it Although we love just about anything short of the instant version (commonly reserved for train station waiting rooms and silent tears), our favourite spot for an elevated take on reganmian is Chunxiu Lu’s Morning. Be brave and ask for zhong la (重辣), mega spicy.
Xiao chao rou, 小炒肉
A dish hailing from Hunan and opting for heat in the form of green chillies, this classic home-style dish combines the rich, savoury goodness of fatty pork belly with the fresh heat of lightly fried green chillies. It's simple, to the point and full-on fiery. The mouth-coating richness of the slightly caramelised fat mingles well with the heat of the chillies to make for one satisfying spice-fest.
Find it Again, this is a popular home-style dish that features prominently on many menus around Beijing, but our top pick is almost always the Dongsi-area Hunanese joint Nice Rice.
Chongqing xiaomian, 重庆小面
If Sichuan province is the seat of heat, Chongqing is the extremist faction that broke away to explore new heights of fever-inducing spice. The city-province has developed a reputation for cuisine even more brutally indifferent to taste buds and toilet time than its motherland, but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying its greatest gift to the noodle-eating world: Chongqing xiaomian. Thin wheaten noodles are doused with a chilli oil-based broth, then garnished with sliced scallion and crunchy lettuce – what may look like welcoming friends actually harbour an extra coating of floating oil. Vegetables should never be trusted when it comes to crimson dishes.
Find it Chongqing xiaomian is as popular and nearly as cheap as its mutton-based Muslim rival, Lanzhou lamian; look for the characters 重庆小面 on windows and restaurant fronts to find the spicy object of your desire. Our top pick can be none other than Pangmei Mianzhuang, although the store is currently closed for refurb until after Spring Festival.
Lei lajiaopi dan, 擂辣椒皮蛋
A lesser-known entry from Hunan province – a place famous for its use of pickled chillies and strong fermented sauces – this dish is a literal mash-up of fresh and dried chillies. Whole green chillies – don't for even a moment think that green means you're safe, these mothers pack a serious wallop – are pan-fried or roasted and then mashed in a mortar with fresh coriander leaves and slices of preserved egg (aka century egg, and no it's not 100 years old and yes it is delicious and tastes like the strangest creamy strong cheese you've ever tried). The spread-like dish, best enjoyed over rice or as a side dish, coats the mouth with a fresh, sharp heat that will lay you flat on your back (preferably with a constant stream of alternating beer and milk being administered by a kind stranger).
Find it For really potent chilli and preserved egg it has to be The Southern Fish, a tiny, stylish spot in Xicheng. Just don't be late, as the kitchen closes 20-30 minutes before closing and you better believe they couldn't care less that you ventured all the way west just for them.
Mapo doufu, 麻坡豆腐
Finally, we have a moment to spare for the erstwhile tofu classic, the training wheels with which authentic Sichuan cuisine has careened into the West, mapo doufu. Famous the world over because it's freaking delicious, this dish is sweet, spicy, numbing, fragrant, delectable to look at and mercifully easy to make. It's not so much a full-on assault of spice as it is a gentle reminder of the simple joy of being alive. Cubes of silken tofu are simmered in a thick sauce of soy paste, Sichuan pepper oil, sugar and chilli paste until the flavour sings from every corner of the bean curd. Served over rice, it's the working man's delight as much as it's a refined demonstration of restraint.
Find it Basically everywhere, Sichuanense or not, serves this dish that is about as ubiquitous as it gets for home-style dishes.
For other great things to try this winter in Beijing, hit 'Read more' below.
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