Sichuan Mouth-Numbing Cold Noodles

My grandma is from the Sichuan (Szechuan) province in China, and because of that, I've always claimed that spicy food is as normal to me as bread. Of course, when I've got tears streaming down my face and am chugging ice-cold water by the gallon, it's less believable. However, I actually really enjoy that feeling. What marks the signature of the Sichuan spicy is the 麻辣 part -- the mouth numbing part. It's really hard for me to find dishes that are spicy and numbing enough in restaurants, so I make my own Sichuan chili oil. This is one of my favorite dishes for the summertime. Yes, my face will most likely turn red, and yes, I will probably take breaks because my mouth will be numb, but it's cold, it's yummy, and it satisfies my spicy cravings. The main ingredient is the chili oil, which you can make at home. There are so many variations of chili oil, but my favorite is a triple-garlic Sichuan oil with peppers, chili flakes, garlic, ginger, and star anise. There's half a head of garlic to infuse, minced toasted garlic, and fresh minced garlic. I've seen variations with cumin, cloves, fennel, and cinnamon sticks -- it's really up to you! You can find all of these ingredients at your local Asian grocery market.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet