Variety is the spice of life
The final step is to fish out the tofu-shaped pieces of chicken and put them into a clear chicken broth. Xie adds a slice of black truffle to the top of the pudding to give it an added aroma.
Pan-fried glutinous rice cakes with jasmine and brown sugar is another must-try. The rice cake is so crispy on the outside and tender inside that it falls apart if you pick it up using chopsticks.
Xie is preparing to open another restaurant in Beijing that features Sichuan snacks. One of the signature dishes will be the golden noodles which are thinner than a hair and can be threaded through the eye of a needle.
"The 24 traditional flavors of Sichuan cuisine can be extended to many more, and as chefs, we need to keep exploring the possibilities," he says.