Facing Heaven Zi Dan Tou Chili (Chao Tian Jiao)

Chao tian jiao, or facing heaven chilies, are so called because they grow upward toward the sky. There are many types of facing heaven chilies, but these zi dan tou, or bullet chilies, are the most popular in Chengdu nowadays. They are 1.5 to 2.5 inches in length.

Facing heaven zi dan tou chilies are vivid-red and medium-hot and are used for many Sichuan dishes, since they can be used in abundance. Due to their strong fragrance and coloring ability, they are very often part of the chili blend for Sichuan chili oil. 

Here is our chili lineup, in order from mildly hot to very hot (if you're looking for super or explosively hot, shop for Thai or Indian chilies):

• Xinjiang zong jiao (wrinkled chili)
• Er jing tiao
• Deng long jiao (lantern chili)
• Guizhou tiao zi jiao 
• Facing heaven zi dan tou
• Xiao mi la

The Chinese prize the fragrance and coloring ability of chilies as much as the heat, so cooks tend to combine chilies in order to draw from the best qualities of each and create distinct flavor profiles. Er jing tiao, deng long jiao and zi dan tou have the most pigment and strongest coloring ability for making chili oil. 

Try zi dan tou in gong bao chicken or shui zhu ("water-boiled") dishes. As with all dried chilies, the heat is controllable: Leave chilies whole or cut and de-seed them for less heat; or include some seeds in your dish for maximum heat.

These chilies are grown in Guizhou Province, widely acknowledged as the premier chili producer in China. They are vibrant, soft and pliable—a sign of freshness and full flavor. (Brittle, fading and discolored chilies are often quite old.)

These zi dan tou are sun-dried by the farmers then further dried, cleaned and tested by our supplier in Chengdu to meet international safety standards. Our chilies are always from the most recent harvest, and we store them in their wholesale packaging to maintain freshness until we hand-package them for each week's sales.  

Store in a dark pantry, or freeze for long-term storage. 

Source: Guizhou Province
Size: 4 ounces (115 grams); 4 1/2 cups by volume

Ingredients: Single-origin, non-irradiated, dried chili. No additives, preservatives or dyes.