Sichuan flavor profiles

Sichuan cuisine is often described through many compound flavor profiles. You don't need to recite a taxonomy, but you should know that má là is only one part of the map.

• Má là: numbing + chile heat. Hotpot, mapo tofu, mala dry pot, chile oil dishes.
• Yúxiāng: "fish-fragrant" without fish; pickled chile, ginger, garlic, scallion, soy, sugar, vinegar. Eggplant and pork slivers are classic uses.
• Guàiwèi: "strange flavor"; sweet, sour, salty, spicy, numbing, nutty, often sesame-based. Common in cold dishes.
• Suān là: sour-hot; vinegar and chile in balance.
• Hóng yóu / red-oil flavors: chile oil, aromatics, sesame, soy, vinegar, sugar; often cold dishes and noodles.
• Clean/mild profiles: not every Sichuan dish is red or numbing. Broths, steamed dishes, seasonal vegetables, and banquet dishes can be restrained.

Chengdu is often associated with refined, balanced, varied flavors and snack culture. Chongqing is famous for hotpot, bolder heat, and a more forceful chile/oil profile, though that is still a simplification. Home cooking, restaurant cooking, hotpot, banquet dishes, noodles, cold appetizers, and street snacks all use different balances.