Description
The popcorn of Sichuan youth. Rabbit skulls boiled in dozens of spices. Locals gnaw on them like snacks while watching movies, sucking out the cheek meat.
Restaurants serving Ma La Tu Tou (Spicy Rabbit Head)
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We are researching restaurants that serve this dish.
On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Rabbit heads
- Doubanjiang
- Chili
- Sichuan peppercorn
- Peanuts
- Medicinal spices
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- Soak skinned rabbit heads in cold water for hours to purge blood, then violently blanch to eradicate raw odor.
- Heat generous oil, slow-fry Pixian Doubanjiang, massive dried chilies, Sichuan pepper, star anise, and black cardamom to create an intense 'Hong You' (red oil).
- Pour in broth, add the heads, and simmer on low for an hour until the flavor penetrates the bone marrow.
- Turn off heat and steep in the sauce for hours (or overnight).
- Before serving, heavily dust the exterior with special Five-Spice powder, Sichuan pepper powder, and crushed peanuts.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Intense Sichuan pepper numbness、Delicate rabbit umami
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
(Irreplaceable - completely unique)
Pairing
Cold Beer / Cola
Trivia
[Hardcore] Foreigners gasp, 'How can you eat cute bunnies!', but Chengdu alone consumes hundreds of millions of rabbit heads annually. The meat is finer than chicken and completely odorless.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Grab the upper and lower jaws with both hands and snap them apart with force. First, eat the muscular 'cheek meat', then crack the skull to slurp out the tender meat inside.
Allergen
Peanuts, Soybeans