50 World Foods to Try Before You Die
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Laziji (Chongqing Chicken) - China
This fiery Chinese dish comes from the famously mouth-numbing Sichuan cuisine. The authentic preparation is a stir fry made with small chunks of marinated and deep-fried bone-in chicken, fried chicken skin, dried Sichuan chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, spicy bean paste, ginger and garlic. The secret to eating it? Locals pick out the chicken with chopsticks, leaving the peppers behind. Despite its intimidating appearance, the dish is actually tamer than it looks, with a pleasing kick for those who can stand the heat.
Where to eat: Given that the dish originated in the city of Chongqing, it only makes sense to head there for your spicy Szechuan chicken fix. There are countless restaurants that serve laziji, but you can always ask the locals for their favorite spots.
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