Relating to the cuisine of China's Sichuan province, characterized by bold use of garlic, chili peppers, and especially Sichuan peppercorns that create a unique numbing sensation called 'ma la.'
From Chinese 'Sichuan,' meaning 'four rivers,' referring to the province's geography. The cuisine developed its fiery character partly due to the humid climate where spicy food was believed to help the body cope with moisture.
Sichuan cuisine's famous 'ma la' (numbing and spicy) sensation comes from Sichuan peppercorns that contain hydroxy-alpha-sanshool, a compound that literally makes your tongue vibrate at 50Hz - the same frequency as electrical current!
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