laziji
Sign in to saveAlso known as Sichuan spicy chicken, la zi ji
Laziji () is one of the most iconic dishes of Sichuan cuisine. It consists of small pieces of marinated chicken that are deep-fried and then stir-fried with massive quantities of dried Sichuan pepper, dried red chilies, garlic, and ginger. Originating from the Geleshan region of Chongqing, it is a staple of "Jianghu Cuisine" (folk cooking) and is renowned for its intense mala (numbing and spicy) flavor profile.
Key facts
- Food.name
- Laziji
- Food.image
- Laziji at Beijing Yibin Hostel (20210625111300).jpg
- Food.image_size
- 280px
- Food.image_alt
- A large white platter filled with a dense mound of bright red dried chili peppers and small fried chicken nuggets, garnished with white sesame seeds.
- Food.alternate_name
- Chongqing chicken, firecracker chicken, dry chili chicken, mala chicken
- Food.type
- Stir-fry
- Food.course
- Main
- Food.place_of_origin
- China
- Food.region
- Geleshan, Chongqing
- Food.associated_cuisine
- Sichuan cuisine
- Food.main_ingredient
- Chicken, dried chili pepper, Sichuan pepper, Ginger, Garlic
- Food.caption
- A typical presentation of Chongqing-style Laziji (priced at CNY 69), featuring chicken cubes "buried" under a mountain of dried chilies.
via Wikipedia infobox
~3 min read
Encyclopedic overview
8 sectionsContents
- History and origins
- Preparation and technique
- Marination and double-frying
- The "Mala" infusion
- Cultural significance and serving
- Variations
- See also
- References
Laziji () is one of the most iconic dishes of Sichuan cuisine. It consists of small pieces of marinated chicken that are deep-fried and then stir-fried with massive quantities of dried Sichuan pepper, dried red chilies, garlic, and ginger. Originating from the Geleshan region of Chongqing, it is a staple of "Jianghu Cuisine" (folk cooking) and is renowned for its intense mala (numbing and spicy) flavor profile.
== History and origins == The dish is a relatively modern addition to the Sichuan canon, rising to prominence in the late 20th century. It originated in the town of Geleshan in Chongqing's Shapingba District. Local restaurateurs began using small, "mountain" (free-range) chickens, which were chopped into tiny, bone-in pieces to maximize the surface area for flavor absorption.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “laziji” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.