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A Mala xiang guo in China

A Mala xiang guo containing various seafood, meat, vegetables, fuzhu and fensi

Mala xiang guo (simplified Chinese: 麻辣香锅; traditional Chinese: 麻辣香鍋; pinyin: málà xiāngguō), roughly translated into English as "spicy stir-fry hot pot",^[1] is a Chinese dish prepared by stir frying. Strongly flavored with mala, it often contains meat and vegetables, and has a salty and spicy taste. The preparation process involves placing the required ingredients in the pot, stir frying and adding seasoning. In restaurants, customers usually choose the ingredients (meat and vegetables) by themselves before the chef prepares the dish.^[2][3]

Mala xiang guo was introduced by the Burmese Chinese people to Myanmar, and is now a popular dish there, where it is called mala shan gaw (မာလာရှမ်းကော).^[4][5]

Ma La Xiang Guo is a spicy and tongue-numbing dish that originated from the Tujia people of Jinyun Mountain in Chongqing, China in the early 2000s. The name of the dish is self-descriptive, with "Ma" meaning tongue-numbing and "La" meaning spiciness. ^[6] The "spicy and tingling sensation" is a distinctive flavour feature of Sichuan cuisine in southern China, which is known for its bold use of spicy ingredients. Although it is a spicy dish, it is popular all over China for its complex flavour profile and affordability.

It became a popular meal choice for lunch or dinner, as it is a hearty and savoury dish that is known for its spicy and tingling flavours. You can enjoy Mala Xiang Guo in many different ways whether it is served as a side dish or a main course, and paired with rice, noodles, or eaten on its own. The best way to enjoy Mala Xiang Guo is to customize it to your taste preferences. You can adjust the level of spiciness and add different vegetables and meats to make it more filling or to create your unique flavour combinations. ^[7]

Description and Ingredients

The dish features a variety of vegetables, meat and seafood stir-fried together in a rich, flavourful spicy sauce. Typically, it is served in a large bowl and shared family style with steamed rice. Mala Xiang Guo offers a wide range of ingredient choices, including potatoes, lotus root, cauliflower, mushrooms, tofu, more for vegetables, and options like chicken, beef, pork, and even meatballs for meat. ^[6]

The sauce is exactly the highlight of the dish as it is a mixture of several seasonings to create an irresistibly delicious flavour. ^[6] Sichuan Peppercorns with a small, reddish-brown colour, are essential in mala, they provide both a tingling sensation and a citrusy, floral taste. ^[8] The dry chili pepper adds a smoky, spicy flavour and fragrance to Mala Xiang Guo. ^[9]

While every restaurant has its unique sauce recipe, they generally share common features, primarily comprising spiciness, fragrance, and numbingness giving a perfectly balanced taste. The recipes of the sauces may vary, but the delicious flavours of Mala Xiang Guo do not differ greatly.

It matches different people's hot flavour rating levels with a little spicy, mildly spicy, medium spicy, heavy spicy, and very spicy. Customers can choose their ingredients in a self-service line at food courts, small shops and restaurants where items are charged based on their weight. All the ingredients are fresh and ready to be cooked. ^[6]

After the items have been chosen, the vegetables are weighed separately because they are less expensive than meats. ^[6] These ingredients are combined to create a distinctive flavour characterized by a well-balanced blend of spiciness, savoury taste, and a numbing bite.

History and Origins

Mala Xiang Guo originated from the Tujia people in Jinyun Mountain, Chongqing, and it is a home-style dish that is popular locally. The dish is typically made with various seasonings in a large pot. When served to guests, variations often include the addition of meat, seafood, bamboo, and tofu skin. Recently, with its increase in popularity in China and Myanmar, Mala Xiang Guo has expanded to include hundreds of different ingredients. ^[2][3]

Ma La Xiang Guo has a long and illustrious history in China, dating back to the Three Kingdoms period. According to legend, Zhuge Liang, the chancellor of Shu Han, invented it to uplift the spirit of his warriors. He believed that the dish's spicy and numbing flavours would help to invigorate his troops and make them more resilient in battle. ^[7] Mala’s origins can be identified in the Sichuan province of southwestern China, known for its distinctive and spicy culinary traditions. Locals like to make a simple stir-fry of vegetables with seasoning condiments. When they have visitors, they enhance the dish with meats, seafood, crunchy sausages, and fragrant, tender bamboo shoots. The sliced bamboo shoots are tender, the meat is well cooked, and the pre-fried yuba absorbs the rich flavours of the other ingredients. The combination of flavours is put together to create the delightful and spicy dish known as Ma La Xiang Guo.

Based on both spicy and dry pot dishes, Sichuan chefs have refined Mala Xiang Guo, making it more adaptable for restaurant operations. Sichuan cuisine comes from its strong use of spices and chilli peppers, contributing to the distinct flavour. Mala tang is a popular Sichuan hot soup dish made with a variety of ingredients, including meat, seafood, vegetables, and tofu, distinguished by it pre-made broth heavily seasoned with Sichuan peppercorns and chilli peppers. ^[10] Mala tang and mala Xiang Guo are both popular Sichuan dishes, but the main difference between them is the cooking method. Mala tang is poached in hot broth, while mala Xiang Guo is stir-fried. This means that mala tang is generally healthier, as it contains less oil. However, mala Xiang Guo is often more fragrant, as the ingredients are cooked in a wok with a variety of spices. Mala crab is another option to enjoy a unique and delicious flavour of mala, however, it is often overlooked in favour of more popular seafood dishes such as chilli crab, black pepper crab, and salted egg crab. ^[10]

Mala Xiang Guo can be made with a variety of ingredients to suit different tastes, making it a popular choice for people with different nutritional limitations and preferences. Moreover, it became popular in the 1980s and went global in the 2000s, which is now a staple of Sichuan cuisine. ^[7] Mala Xiang Guo restaurants are gaining popularity in Southeast Asia since they offer a unique and delicious dining experience that appeals to both locals who want to try something new and Chinese visitors who are seeking the taste of home. The Mala trend began in Singapore, where mala restaurants have appeared across the country. ^[11]

Types

Mala Xiang Guo, a popular Chinese dish, typically consists of various ingredients stir-fried in a spicy, numbing sauce known as ‘Mala’ sauce. While it is traditionally a stir-fry dish, some variations incorporate different bases such as soup or salad.

Salad Base

Mala Xiang Guo (Salad Base)

In recent years, there has been a widespread belief that traditional hot pot's popularity has decreased significantly, while dry hot pot has emerged as the dominant food trend. It developed the name "dry hot pot" due to the absence of a soup base, which distinguishes it from conventional Chinese mala hot pot. ^[9] Mala Xiang Guo salad is a refreshing taste of the classic dish, offering a lighter and healthier alternative. It features the same tantalizing mala flavours, but instead of a hot pot, it's served as a chilled salad dressing or sauce. ^[13] The salad is a flavorful combination of textures and flavours, with crunchy vegetables, protein-packed tofu and sometimes chewy cold noodles all dressed in the spicy and tingling mala dressing. To people seeking for a lighter mala experience, salad offers a delicious and encouraging combination of tastes without the strong heat. ^[13] Mala salad is frequently served in a shallow bowl or on a plate that emphasizes the ingredients' vibrant colours and textures. The mala dressing is generously poured over them to create a fiery taste. This light and summery dish is a refreshing alternative to heavier soups and stews. ^[14]

Regional Varieties

In different regions, the taste of Mala Xiang Guo varies slightly depending on local culinary preferences; flavour and ingredient choices. For instance, in Sichuan, the dish features a large use of Sichuan peppercorns and a high level of spiciness. In some locations, a milder version is available. Ingredients can also vary based on local vegetables, meats and seafoods, reflecting the traditions of each region. ^[15]

Mala Xiang Guo is served in a large wok. A variety of selected ingredients is stir-fried together in oil seasoned with dried red chilies and Sichuan peppercorns, usually combined with onions and ginger. It is a variation on the famous Chongqing Mala Hotpot 麻辣火锅. Hotpot or steamboat is widespread throughout China, with the numbingly fiery Sichuan style being the most popular. ^[16] The Burmese Chinese community brought Mala Xiang Guo to Myanmar, where it has gained popularity under the name of mala Shan Gaw.

Mala hot pot, known as Mala Huoguo, is a popular dish that brings out the essence of mala. It includes boiling a variety of raw ingredients in a thick broth mixed with mala seasonings. ^[12]

Mala Tang is a Chinese dish consisting of a variety of food items such as vegetables, meats and seafood on skewers. These are dipped into a liquid hotpot of a spicy and numbing broth made with chilies, Sichuan peppercorns and various spices. It is usually garnished with sesame seeds and cilantro and is known for its flavorful taste. ^[17]

Mala Mao Cai is also a dish originating from China that involves choosing various raw items such as veggies, meats and tofu then cooking in a hot and numbing broth. It is comparable to hot pot but has an intense flavour due to a mix of additional spices. The dish is popular for its fiery taste. ^[18]

Mala Xiang Guo gained popularity not only in China but also globally, resulting in various popular shops worldwide. Different places in various countries offer their own versions of Mala Xiang Guo, following the likings and taste preferences of the local people in each region.

See also

• Chongqing hot pot
• Malatang

References