Malatang

ma la tang, 麻辣烫, 麻辣燙

Malatang is a common type of Chinese street food. It originated in Sichuan, China, but it differs mainly from the Sichuanese version in that the Sichuanese version is more like what in northern China would be described as hot pot. Malatang is named after its key ingredient, mala sauce, which is flavored with a combination of Sichuan pepper and dried chilli pepper. The word málà is composed of the Chinese characters for "numbing" (麻) and "spicy (hot)" (辣), referring to the feeling in the mouth after eating the sauce. Malatang is said to have originated on the Yangtze River near Sichuan. In ancient times, boating was a big industry and many people made a living by towing boats. Continually plying their trade in damp, foggy conditions made workers on the river feel chronically cold and debilitated, so when they were hungry, they would cook herbs in a pot and add pungent Sichuan pepper and ginger to the resulting soup to banish the miserable dampness. Realising the growing popularity of Malatang, street vendors soon cashed in on the business opportunity that this afforded and spread the dish far and wide throughout China.

Source: Wikipedia