Doubanjiang. [File Photo]

5. Doubanjiang

Bean sauce, or Doubanjiang, is a spicy, salty paste made from fermented broad beans, soybeans, salt, rice, and various spices. It is commonly referred to it as "the soul of Sichuan cuisine".

The technique of producing doubanjiang has been listed on the second catalogue of national intangible cultural heritage.

Pixian douban, named after the town of Pixian in Sichuan province, is especially well-known. It is said that the Pixian douban was created by Chen Shouxin during the reign of Xianfeng Emperor in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) based on the improvement of the secret recipe handed down from his ancestors.