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Peppers in China

by Dave DeWitt

Because of dialects and difficulties in transliteration, chile peppers from China have been called la-chio and la-chiao in various sources, but more recently translated material from China indicates that the generic term la-jiao is now preferred. A wild chile known as xiao mi jiao grows in the virgin forest area of Xishuangbanna Prefecture of the Yunan Province. Hot chiles are common in the diet in the provinces of Gansu, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunan, Hunan, Hubei, and Jiangxi.

In international chile pepper production, China ranks fourth in yield, after India, Mexico and Indonesia. In 1988, China had 148,200 acres under cultivation with a yield of 212,500 dry equivalent tons. As might be expected, acreage and production were considerably less. In 1986, about 7,000 acres of chiles were under cultivation, yielding about 3,000 dry equivalent tons. Approximately twenty cultivars of both sweet and hot peppers are grown commercially in mainland China and about nine in Taiwan. In China, some of the more popular varieties are 'Shi Feng Jiao' and the hot cultivar grown in Sichuan, 'Chi Ying Jiao'. In Taiwan, the varieties have English names and the pungent ones are 'Goat's Horn', 'Szuchuan', 'New Comer', and 'Hot Beauty'.

Some experts speculate that chiles were imported into China from Singapore, or carried inland from Macao, where hot dishes are more popular today than in neighboring Canton. More likely is the theory that chiles were introduced into Sichuan by sixteenth century Indian Buddhist missionaries traveling the "Silk Route" between India and China. After all, western Sichuan is closer to India than to either Macao or Singapore No matter how they arrived in western China, chiles soon became enormously important to the food of the people.

E. N. Anderson, who has studied the chile situation in China extensively, described the effect of chiles on the cuisines of the Far East as "epochal." The use of the large varieties of Capsicum annuum was important because of the additional nutrients to low-vitamin grains such as rice. In western China, chiles were easy to grow, simple to preserve, and soon became vital to life there. Anderson observed, "Tomatoes and chiles not only transformed the taste of southern Chinese cooking, they also provided new and very rich sources of vitamins A and C and certain minerals, thus improving the diet of the south Chinese considerably. Easy to grow, highly productive, and bearing virtually year round in the subtropical climate, these plants eliminated the seasonal bottlenecks on vitamin availability."

Cooks in Sichuan and Hunan provinces depend mostly upon chile pastes and oils to provide the heat in their meals. Fresh peppers are more commonly used in Hunan than Sichuan, where small, dried Santaka-type chiles are commonly added whole, seeds and all, to stir-fry dishes. Other commonly used seasonings in the cooking of Sichuan and Hunan are sesame seed paste, chile paste with garlic, and an aromatic chile vinegar.

Chile in such forms is often combined with ground rice, sesame seeds, and peanuts as a snack or a coating for grilled meats. The combination of chiles with nutty products is called ma la and is one of the essential flavors of western Chinese cooking.

Contrary to popular belief, chefs cooking in Sichuan or Hunan style are not trying to incinerate the people who eat their creations. Howard Hillman, an expert on world cuisines, has written of the way heat is applied in western China: "Even on the peasant level, the people prefer the dishes on the table to have degrees of hotness varying from mild to fiery. This is in contrast to the monotonous everything-as-hot-as-possible approach favored by many non-Chinese Sichuan restaurant-goers. Making one Sichuan dish hotter than another is not a measure of a chef's talent; all it takes is the addition of extra chile, a feat that could be performed by a trained monkey. Epicures judge a Sichuan chef by the subtly complex overtones of his sauces and whether they complement the other ingredients in his dishes."

Perhaps the most obscure fiery cuisine of Asia is that of Xinjiang Autonomous Region, China's largest province. Located in the northwest part of the country, surrounded by Tibet, Russia, Mongolia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, Xinjiang is the land of the Uighurs, the Mongols, the Tartars and other peoples related to Turkic Central Asians. The capital of Xinjiang is Urumqi, the most inland city in the world. Here, where most of the population is Moslem, pork is replaced by lamb, which is commonly combined with chile peppers.

A favorite lamb and chile dish from Xinjiang is kao yang ruo chuan, Xinjiang Lamb and Chile Barbecue, in which lamb kebabs are marinated in a garlic, lemon, and an extremely hot chile oil sauce and then barbecued with jalapeño-type chiles. Other lamb and chile dishes from the region include: a sliced lamb meal with onions and jalapeño-type chiles; la tiao-ze, which combines noodles and lamb with a garlic and chile pepper sauce; and lamb-filled pot-stickers with hot chile-vinegar-soy sauce.

China's hot sauces are quite varied, from simple chile oils and sauces to hot bean sauces to pastes--even commercial hoison sauce has a little dried red chile in it. Chinese chile oil is made by simply steeping hot chiles in peanut oil; the oil is used as a replacement for vegetable oils in salads and for frying. Some commercial brands include House of Tsang oils and Lee Kum Kee's Chili Oil and Hot Sesame Oil.

"Bean sauce is vital to authentic Sichuan and Hunan cooking," wrote Asian food expert Bruce Cost. "Usually added with chile peppers in some form, bean sauce--more than soy sauce--flavors the many fiery country-style dishes." Commercial brands include Lan Chi, Sze Chuan, and Lee Kum Kee.

There are quite a few Chinese chile sauces available, including Kimlan in Taiwan and Lee Kum Kee's Guilin Chili Sauce. "There are many proprietary Chinese chilli [English spelling] sauces available on the market," wrote our friend Pat Chapman, England's spicy food expert. "These vary markedly in flavour, consistency and heat strength--ranging from sweet to hot or even extra hot."

Recipes

Sichuan Chile Sauce

Here is a classic chile sauce from one of the hottest regions--foodwise--in China. It can be used in stir-fry dishes, added to soups, or sprinkled over rice.

Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan, add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the onion and stir-fry for another minute.

Add the chiles and the vinegar and simmer for 10 minutes, adding water if it gets too dry.

Add the remaining ingredients except the water and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and process to a fine puree, adding water as necessary to achieve the desired consistency.

Place the sauce in bottles and refrigerate.

Yield: About 1 1/4 cups

Sichuan Beef with Hot Sauce

The most important thing to remember in preparing this classic Sichuanese recipe is that the beef should be stir-fried until it is dry and crispy, but not burned. Use the shredding blade of a food processor to cut the celery and carrot. Serve over steamed rice.

Marinade:

8 ounces flank steak, cut with the grain into 2-inch long julienne strips

Sauce:

 

The Stir-Fry:

2 green New Mexico or poblano chiles, roasted peeled, seeds and stems removed, cut into julienne strips

Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl, stir well, and add the beef. Toss the beef in the marinade and let sit, covered, for 30 minutes.

In a bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients and mix well.

Heat a wok over high heat and add 3 tablespoons of the peanut oil. Just when it begins to smoke, add the beef and stir-fry until the beef is browned to the point of being crispy. Remove the beef with a slotted spoon and set on paper towels to drain.

Add the remaining peanut oil, heat, and add the ginger, garlic, onion and stir for 15 seconds. Then add the celery, carrot, and chile. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add the beef. Stir briefly to mix the beef with the vegetables, add the sauce and stir-fry for 30 seconds to a minute. Adjust the heat with more Sichuan Chile Sauce.

Serves: 2

Heat Scale: Medium

Xinjiang Lamb and Chile Grill

(Kao Yang Ruo Chuan)

Xinjiang, which borders Mongolia, is noted for its barbecued lamb even though lamb is rarely eaten in other parts of China. In fact, the Mongolian tribes introduced lamb to the rest of China. This simple barbecue could easily be prepared by the nomads on the plains of Xinjiang. Note that this recipe requires advance preparation.

Combine the chile oil, lemon juice, rice wine, garlic, peppercorns, salt, and sugar. Marinate the lamb and jalapeños in the refrigerator overnight or for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature.

Thread the lamb on skewers, alternating with the jalapeños.

Grill or broil, basting frequently with the reserved marinade until done.

Serve the lamb and chiles in the buns with the chopped scallions and cilantro.

Serves: 6

Heat Scale: Medium

Orange Chicken with Red Chiles

This chicken and chile dish is a standard in western China, where the flavors of poultry and citrus are often combined. Dried orange peel is available in Asian markets. Any small, dried red chiles may be used in this recipe. Serve it over steamed rice or rice pilaf.

Marinade:

Sauce:

The Stir-Fry:

Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl, stir well, and add the chicken. Let sit for 30 minutes.

Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl, stir well, and set aside.

Heat the wok over high heat. Add the peanut oil and when it just begins to smoke, add the chiles and marinated chicken. Stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add the sauce and stir-fry for an additional 30 seconds. Remove the chiles before serving.

Serves: 2

Heat Scale: Medium

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