Chilled Nizakana
Nizakana is a wonderfully gentle Japanese way of cooking fish, simmering it briefly in seasoned dashi rather than frying or grilling it into submission. This version takes things one step further by letting the fish cool and chill in its braising liquid, giving all that soy, sake, mirin and ginger plenty of time to get acquainted. The real geekery, though, is hiding in the dashi, where kombu, shiitake and dried fish bring different umami compounds to the party and make each other taste even better. Light, deeply savoury and particularly lovely on a hot day, it is proof that sometimes the best thing you can do to a good piece of fish is very little.
Sichuan Braised Duck with Potatoes
Duck and potatoes are already a pretty great duo, but Sichuan cooking turns them into something a lot more exciting. The duck starts by rendering in its own fat, then gets a glossy coat of doubanjiang, dried chillies, and warming spices before being gently braised into tenderness. The potatoes join the party later, just long enough to turn soft and creamy while soaking up all that spicy, savoury sauce. Three stages, one very happy pot.
Chicken Datshi
Chicken Datshi is a beautiful example of how little you actually need to make something deeply satisfying. Chicken, a mountain of chillies and soft, tangy churpi come together in a light broth that slowly turns creamy as the cheese melts into it. Traditionally the datshi is made from yak milk. I'm using cow's milk here, but the principle remains the same: heat, acidity and a little patience doing most of the work. It's simple food, but the combination of heat, funk and richness is anything but simple.
Dan Dan Noodles
Dan Dan Noodles are a small bowl with a slightly unreasonable amount going on. There is spicy chilli oil, numbing Sichuan pepper, fermented greens, savoury pork and a rich sesame sauce, all fighting for attention in the best possible way. Traditionally, the noodles arrive beautifully layered and completely unmixed. That part is your problem. Get your chopsticks in there and mix everything until every strand is coated, then try to work out which flavour hit you first.