Sichuan Liang Ban Su Cai He

Liang Ban — cold-dressed salads doused in a tingling ma la (numbing-spicy) dressing — are Sichuan's most versatile culinary tradition. This vegetarian platter combines blanched seasonal vegetables with silken tofu, dressed in a complex sesame-chilli sauce that is simultaneously spicy, numbing, sour, sweet, and savoury — a textbook demonstration of Sichuan's famed 'hundred flavours' philosophy.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Vegetables

• 300g (10 oz) silken or medium-firm tofu, sliced into rectangles
• 200g (7 oz) mung bean sprouts
• 150g (5 oz) cucumber, julienned
• 100g (3.5 oz) blanched spinach or morning glory, squeezed dry
• 100g (3.5 oz) wood ear mushrooms (dried, rehydrated), sliced

Dressing

• 3 tbsp (45ml) Chinese sesame paste or tahini
• 2 tbsp (30ml) Sichuan chilli oil (with sediment)
• 2 tbsp (30ml) light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp (15ml) black vinegar (Chinkiang)
• 1 tbsp (15ml) sesame oil
• 1 tsp (5ml) Sichuan peppercorn oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp (15ml) warm water (to thin dressing)
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• 2 tbsp toasted peanuts, crushed
• Fresh coriander, to garnish

Instructions

1. Blanch bean sprouts in boiling water for 30 seconds, drain immediately into ice water. Blanch wood ear mushrooms 2 minutes, drain and cool.
2. Drain tofu on kitchen paper for 10 minutes. Arrange tofu slices on a serving platter, fan the cucumber, bean sprouts, spinach, and mushrooms around and over the tofu.
3. Whisk sesame paste with warm water until smooth. Add soy sauce, black vinegar, sesame oil, peppercorn oil, and sugar — whisk to a pourable dressing consistency. Stir in minced garlic and chilli oil.
4. Pour dressing evenly over the platter. Scatter with spring onions, crushed peanuts, and fresh coriander.
5. Serve at room temperature or lightly chilled. Toss at the table just before eating.

Cook's Notes: The dressing can be made 2 days ahead and kept refrigerated. Sichuan peppercorn oil is key — its mouth-numbing (ma) quality is what distinguishes this from a generic sesame salad. For a more substantial dish, add glass noodles blanched and cooled. This platter is an ideal dinner-party starter.