08 Feb DRIED RED CHILI PEPPER
DRIED RED CHILI PEPPER
Dried Red Chilli peppers come in a vast number of varieties–too many for us to keep up with. In general, the smaller the chilli, the hotter they are. A lot of Chinese dishes call for either long hot green peppers or small red chillies, both of which can be found in any grocery store. Hunan and Sichuan cuisine also make use of the dried red chilli pepper, which can be found in most Asian groceries.
Not all dried chilli peppers are created equal. We have seen those sold in the Sichuan region of China that have a deep red color and others that have a more washed out red color. Colour is important for making red chilli oil and Sichuan dishes but I think it is second to flavor. I suggest buying smaller packets to experiment with brands but to also ensure that they stay fresh in your panty.
We use dried red chilli peppers in many of our recipes both whole and ground up. Dried chilli peppers, when toasted properly, are pleasantly fragrant and addictively tasty! Dumplings and pan-fried buns must be eaten with a homemade sauce made of raw garlic, toasted chillies, soy sauce, and a dash of vinegar. Just remember that these chillis are just for flavour and aroma, NOT for eating whole (unless you want a whole world of hurt). But fear not, a few dried red peppers here and there don’t turn anything insanely spicy. Small quantities simply round out flavors and add complexity. Sometimes we add just a few for the toasted pepper flavour with a hint of heat, like in our Orange Chicken; sometimes we add more for a little extra spice, like we did for Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce.
These Thai chilli peppers look more like the variety we saw in Chengdu that have a deeper red color in case you don’t have access to these ingredients at an Asian grocery store. Thailand definitely knows their chillies!
CHILI POWDER FROM SICHUAN PROVINCE
This chilli powder is crushed but not fully pulverized and is perfect for making chilli oil. There is some powder and some crushed pieces, the perfect texture for chilli oil and seasoning meats. The powder produces a rich red color and the coarser flakes add a great look and texture. You can make our Homemade Chlili Oil, one of the key additions to our popular Lanzhou Beef Noodle soup.
We also use Cayenne red pepper powder and sometimes use a Korean red chilli powder for cooking and marinades. Korean red chilli powder and flakes does have a different flavour, however–we find that it’s slightly sweeter. If you’re a spicy food lover, you can buy a whole pound of it and use it for all of your cooking.
