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Pickled Er Jing Tiao Chilies (Sichuan Pickled Chilies, Pao La Jiao)
泡二荆条辣椒
$10
Sichuan's Versatile Pickled Pepper
One of the most elusive Sichuan ingredients outside the province, the pickled version of Sichuan's favorite chili is used in many popular dishes. Ripe red er jing tiao chilies are naturally fermented in a salt brine in large earthenware crocks until they are mildly soured.
Er jing tiao is a mild to medium-hot chili. It is the chili that is fermented with fava beans to make Pixian doubanjiang, which is used to flavor dozens of classic Sichuan dishes. But sometimes the fermented chilies stand on their own to flavor a dish, for a lighter touch, or one that is bean- and gluten-free.
These pickled peppers, or pao la jiao, are used to lend a mildly spicy tang to fish stews/hotpots, pickled pepper beef noodles and some yuxiang, or "fish fragrant," dishes. But they are welcome anywhere you'd like a little pickled pepper punch.
These are the chilies for the job whenever a recipe suggests using sambal oelek or, unwisely, sriracha in a traditional Sichuan dish. Just mince them up and you've got a pickled chili sauce that complements Sichuan food perfectly.
How To Use It
Remove the stems and chop into pieces or mince with a knife. For fewer seeds, run your knife along the length of the chili to squeeze them out before mincing.
Storage
Though naturally fermented, these chilies require the addition of preservatives to be shelf stable once packaged.
Once opened, remove to a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate. Fermented products last indefinitely if stored properly and not cross-contaminated. Let appearance and aroma be your guide to shelf life.
While yuxiang eggplant is usually made with Pixian doubanjiang or red-oil douban, yuxiang pork is traditionally made with only fermented er jing tiao chilies
Numerous Sichuan dishes use a pork mince to flavor vegetables, noodles or, in this case, shrimp. A pickled er jing tiao chili is a great addition to a stir-fried pork mince.
