Article: In Sichuan, mild tofu meets aggressive seasoning. (recipes)

Mild, absorbent tofu soaks up aggressively hot seasonings in these dishes from the Chinese province of Sichuan.

The soup is a vegetable version of the classic pork or chicken hot and sour soup. Chili oil and white pepper add heat.

The name of the second dish describes its creator, a pock-marked old woman. Its legendary heat comes from four forms of chili or pepper cayenne, hot bean paste, crushed dried hot red chilies, and curiously numbing Sichuan peppercorns. Together they produce a complex spiciness.

Shop at Asian markets or some supermarkets for Sichuan peppercorns, black beans, or bean paste.

Hot and Sour Tofu Soup

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