Malatang one RMB each. Customers keep the used wooden sticks by their plates, and when a customer finishes eating, the price to pay is determined by counting the number of empty sticks. In the mid-2010s "malatang" shops became popular in North China, especially Beijing. In these shops the ingredients are usually displayed on shelves, and customers pick their desired ingredients into a bowl. Behind the counter the selected ingredients are cooked in a spicy broth, usually at very high temperature for 3–4 minutes. Before serving, "malatang" is typically further seasoned with lots of garlic, black pepper, Sichuan pepper, chili pepper, sesame
Chili pepper Chili pepper The chili pepper (also chile, chile pepper, chilie pepper, or chilli from Nahuatl "chīlli" () is the fruit of plants belonging to the members of the family Solanaceae. About thirty species exist as shrubs with brightly colored, mostly spicy, fruits. Chili peppers are widely used in many cuisines to add spiciness to dishes. The substances that give chili peppers their pungency when ingested or applied topically are capsaicin and related capsaicinoids. Cultivars grown in North America and Europe are believed to all derive from "Capsicum annuum", and have white, yellow, red or purple to black fruits. In 2016,