Chuan Chuan Xiang comes from Leshan in Sichuan Province. It is a traditional local snack in Sichuan, and the most popular embodiment of grassroots food. As a kind of hotpot, people often call it “little hotpot”. Chuan chuan xiang restaurants can be seen on every street, with low square tables and stools painted in red, steaming spicy soup and bunches of bamboo sticks forming a special Chengdu scene.

Seaweed, potatoes, meat slices, cauliflower, Chinese lettuce, tripe, sausages, squid, white gourd, yellowhead catfish, balloon flower, sea lettuce, konjac, day lily, lotus root, water spinach, ribs and more are skewered with bamboo sticks, and the guest selects their favorites to put into the pot. The dish is eaten the same way as hotpot, with the sticks boiling in the pot. After the meal, you simply call the restaurant owner over to count how many sticks you’ve eaten and settle the bill.