Eating in China

The mouth-watering hot pots of Sichuan are as famous overseas as they are in China, and the hot flavour is enough to heat up a cold midwinter evening or to let loose rivers of sweat on a summer afternoon. I gave it my 【小题1】 (one) try last night, together with a few local friends! As the soup bubbled slowly over a gas burner in the middle of the table, its surface 【小题2】(cover) with a beautiful layer of chillies, Sichuan peppers, spring onions and red oil. 【小题3】 (slow) at first, and then faster and faster, we tipped plates of fresh meat, fish and vegetables into the pot. The hot flavour quickened our 【小题4】 (laugh) and conversation, making the meal the perfect way to relax with friends.

Sichuan hot pots are perfect for the damp, foggy climate 【小题5】 which they were invented. They are believed 【小题6】(start) off in the late Qing Dynasty as a way for boatmen on the Yangtze River to keep warm during the cold and wet winters. In the beginning, the delicious dish was made simply by 【小题7】 (boil) vegetables, chillies and Sichuan peppers in water. Over time, it 【小题8】(expand) to include multiple options of soups, vegetables, meats and sauces, appealing to people of different tastes. 【小题9】 I love best about Sichuan hot pots is that they offer a great opportunity to socialize with friends since a meal can last for hours. I instantly became 【小题10】 big fan of Sichuan hot pots and I’ll soon be back for more!