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Lajiao

The generic term for Chillies in China is ” lajiao”. The term is used when not referring to a specific cultivar or variety. It is a generic word for Chillies.  Most Chinese cooks however, have their own favourites. They certainly wouldn’t refer to Chillies just using this reference. They would be far more specific.

When it comes to how many Chinese Chillies there actually are, the definitive answer is hard to find. It seems that many cultivars have been developed to cater for specific local tastes. Special selection and breeding have shaped, sizes, colours, and pungency levels to meet local needs.

These Chillies are often named after local names that describe the Chillies shape. Examples of these names include the Chicken toe Chilli, Cow-horn pepper, Cherry pepper, and Chicken Heart Pepper.

China is a huge country with over a billion citizens.  The variety of cultivars that are produced to meet the needs of so many people must surely run into the thousands.

The most used Chillies

A list of Chinese Chillies

With so much diversity, this list can only cover the more well-known Chillies in China.  Besides the popular Zidantou (bullet Chillies) and Qixingjiao (Sichuan seven-star Chilli , the following Chillies are the most widely used and known in China.

Erjingtiao Chilli

This Chilli is the most popular Chilli in Sichuan cooking.  It is used to make Chilli bean paste (Doubanjiang), It is also widely used (among many other uses) to make Chilli oils, pickles and Chilli powders. Another popular way of eating Erjingtiao Chillies is as a fresh vegetable. It is served with salt and soya sauce.

The Erjingtiao Chilli has a distinctive J shape. It grows to between four and five inches long and is deep red when ripe. It is because of this distinctive red colour that it is often used to make Chilli oils.

Its flavour is said to be robust, fragrant and sweet with fruity raisin notes. It has a medium pungency of between 15000 and 20000 Scoville heat units.

In line with many other Chillies used in Sichuan cooking, the Erjingtiao Chilli is sun-dried. It is then dried further indoors before packaging.  Erjingtiao Chillis are widely used in a dried form along with Sichuan pepper to make stir-fries with rice, vegetables, meat, poultry and sea food.

Chaotianjiao

This Chilli is also known as the Facing heaven Chilli. It gets its name from the fact that the Chillies grow upwards. It is a cone-shaped Chilli that  is extensively used in Sichuan and Hunan cuisine.  It is quite pungent with  a Scoville rating of approximately 75000 SHU. The pods grow to between one and a half and three inches long . They can grow up to an inch in width. The pod narrows to the conical shape of the Chilli. When fully ripe, it has a deep red colour. Its flavour is said to be very aromatic, with citrus notes

Because of the attractiveness of this Chilli, it is often used whole in dishes. This is generally in its dry form. It is also used to make dishes like  Gong Bao Ji Ding  (spicy chicken with Cashews), Shui Zhu Niu Rou ( spicy boiled beef) and Ganbian Ji (deep-fried chicken). It is also used to make Chilli oil

Hainan Yellow Lantern Chilli

The Hainan Yellow Lantern Chilli is a plump, yellow Chilli that originated from the Hainan island in South China. It grows to about two inches long and to just over an inch wide.  It is thought to resemble a Habanero Chilli in terms of flavour, taste and pungency. It has a Scoville rating of 300000 SHU.

Hainan Yellow Lantern Chillies are mainly used for making hot sauces. These sauces are so popular that they even are a standard offering on  Hainan’s regional airline. The taste is said to be fruity with a tart aftertaste, once the burning sensation has set in.  Another use for this Chilli include adding pungency to seafood dishes.  Many restaurants on Hainan Island offer crab, tiger fish, prawns and squid dishes that have been prepared with Hainan Yellow Lanterns.

It falls under the Capsicum Chinense species. This is the same species as the Habenero and the Scotch bonnet. It is known to be related to these Chillies. It very probably was initially brought to Hanain island in maritime trade. From there, as with other Chillies brought to a new environment, it developed its own character. A Chinese favourite

Xiaomila (little rice Chilli)

Together with the Chaotianjiao ( The facing heaven Chilli) and the Erjingtiao (two vitex Chillies), these small Chillies are one of the most commonly used in Chinese cuisine. They are called “Little rice  Chilies “because of their relatively small size. The Xiaomila Chilli pods only grow to about an inch in length. They ripen to an orange coloured red.

Xiaomila Chillies are from the Yunnan province in China.  While they are commercially grown, they are the only Chilli that grows in the wild in China. They are from the Capsicum Frutscens species. Together with other Chillies like African devils, Malaguetas, Cabai Rawit, Siling labuyo, Xiaomila pepper and Tabascos, these Chillies grow on shrub like bushes. In warmer climates, they are perennials. Another characteristic they share with these other Chillies is that their fruit grows upwards.

Xiaomila Chillies are relatively spicy. They are used to make Sichuan dishes like Lazi Dry Pepper Chicken Wings, Lajiaoyou (Chilli oil), Mala Xiang Guo ( Stir-fried hotpot cooked twice), and Shangxin Ban Kongxincai (tragically hot water spinach salad).  The Chilli is also used in Chilli flakes and powders.

Finally

As mentioned, this list only covers some of the most well-known Chillies in China. Others include Chinese five colour Chillies, Yunnan wrinkled skin Chilli. Tien Tsin, Yunnan Shuan Shuan Chilli,   Chi Chien and Thai Bird Eye Chillies. There are many more

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umami / CC BY NC 2.0 / via Flickr

Alan Levine  / CC BY 2.0 / via Flickr

The use of Chillies in China

Sauces and pastes

Chillies are used to give piquancy to sauces served with fried chicken. An example of this use is Chinese Chilli chicken.  The sauce for Chinese Chilli chicken is made made with bell peppers, Chillies, lemon juice, soya, garlic, ginger and honey.

Chillies are also used to make a bean paste called  Doubanjiang . This Chilli bean paste is an essential part of Sichuan cooking. It is made with fermented soya or

broad beans that are blended with salted, fermented Chillies and ground into a paste. This paste may be combined with dried Chillies and Sichuan pepper when preparing certain dishes for excellent flavour.

Char Siu sauce is popular in Southern China. It is made with Chillies, Soya sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic. and Chinese five spice powder. It is used for chicken wings and Char Sui BBQ pork  .

Char sui (fork roast) BBQ Pork is a popular dish not only in China. but all around the world. It can be made with pork belly, pork butt or ribs

Chillies are also used in other popular sauces, like “Shacha “sauce (made with fish, shrimp, chillies, and garlic), Mala sauce (Chillies, Sichuan peppercorns, and spices), Xo sauce (scallops, chillies, shrimp, garlic and onion) and Duo Jiao ( a garlic and ginger sauce used to add flavour to dishes.

Chilli flakes and powders

Làjiāo fēn

Chillies are used to make various Chilli flakes and powders.  Sichuan Chilli flakes are called” Làjiāo fēn “. They are made with Facing Heaven (Chaotianjiao) Chillies,  Xiao mi  or Erjintiao Chillies.  The flakes may contain these Chillies individually, or be combinations of two or even three Chillies.

The dried Chillies used to make Chilli flakes may be roasted or cooked in oil before they are ground. They come in various  coarseness’. Their main use is to add colour and spiciness to food. The red colour of Chinese Chilli flakes is a particularly important element in Chinese cooking.

Besides their use as seasoning.  Chilli flakes are also used to sauces like Chiu Chow This sauce uses no less than a cupful of Sichaun Chilli flakes to make.  The sauce also contains fresh Chillies

Chilli flakes are also an ingredient in making Chilli oils, another essential ingredient in Chinese cooking. Erjingtiao Chilli flakes are popular for making Chilli oils, not only for their rich fragrant flavour.   but also for the robust red colour they provide

Pickled Chillies

Lacto- fermented

Most authentic recipes for Chinese Chilli pickles are lacto- fermented. Chillies are placed into jars with water and salt and allowed to create their own acetic acid (vinegar). This acetic acid is created naturally by lactobacillus bacteria that ferment the Chillies. This not only preserves the Chillies but also provides  a pleasant sour taste to them. It is a process that has been 

Chillies are pickled with vinegar, garlic, and spices. Pao la jiao ( fermented Sichuan pickled Chillies made with salt, dried chillies, water and alcohol) is a typical example of this use.  Chillies commonly used in picking include the Erjingtiao Chilli and the Yellow Lantern Chilli. Another popular pickle is made with the Yeshanjiao Chilli. It is a small Chilli  found wild in the mountains.

Pickled Chillies are mainly used as a condiment. They are , however, also  used as an ingredient. Pickled Chillies are used in Chinese cooking to make Chinese style stews, like red braised ginger pork with pickled Chillies . They are also used in dishes like Yu Xiang Xia Nan Gua ( Chinese courgettes with pickled Chillies). They are also served with seafood

Other uses for Chillies

In addition to using Chillies to make soups like spicy hotpot, which is made from Chillies, Sichuan pepper, (Doubanjiang), tofu, Chinese cabbage and other ingredients, it is also used to make Chinese stews. A typical Chinese stew with Chillies is red braised pork with pickled Chillies

Finally

Traditional Chinese medicine and food are closely linked. As well as being used extensively in cooking, Chillies are often prescribed as a medication for many ailments. Chillies are, for example, prescribed for colds. Eating Chillies clears the sinuses and chest

Ways in which Chillies are used

Chinese cooking is based on seven basic flavours: sour, pungent, hot, sweet, bitter, aromatic and salty.   Chinese cooking aims to achieve a perfect balance in these tastes.

Chillies are used to provide the pungency and hot elements of these basic flavours in spicy Chinese food  They are a must have ingredient found  many a Chinese cook’s pantry. To not have Chillies in some form or the other (particularly in Inner China) is virtually unheard of

Indeed. In Sichuan province and other regions where most of the cooking is pungent ,Chilllies are used as an ingredient in most dishes. In this region, Chillies are combined with a liberal use of garlic and Sichuan to produce a cuisine that is world famous. So much so that in 2011, Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province ,was declared a  city of gastronomy It was given this accolade by UNESCO in recognition of the excellent cuisine that comes from the region.

Much of the cuisine in China involves quick cooking in a wok. Woks are used to stir fry ingredients at high temperatures. In this way, the freshness and crispness of ingredients is retained. Chillies are typically introduced at the beginning of cooking . They are typically added to oil that has been heated in the wok. In this way the oil gets infused with the flavour of the Chillies

The following are examples of how Chillies are used in Chinese cooking.

Fresh Chillies

A definite favourite

According to the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations, China produced 326040 tonnes of dried Chillies and 19007248 tonnes of green Chillies in 2019. China is the world’s largest producer of green Chillies. When considering that most of this production is consumed domestically, it becomes quite clear that China consumes a lot of fresh Chillies.

Green Chillies are sauteed in a dish called hǔpí jiān jiāo ( cow horn or goat horn Chillies fried in oil in a wok). Chillies are also to flavour various stir-fried dishes, like Hunan beef (spicy stir-fried beef) , Qīngjiāo Ròu Sī  (pork and pepper stir-fry), and crispy Chilli chicken.

Fresh Chillies are also used in stir-fried rice dishes, sauces like Tengjiao Gongqing sauce with Birds eye Chillies . Tengjiao Gongqing uses Tengjiao oil together with fresh Chillies. This oil is made from green Sichuan pepper.

Another dish made with fresh Chillies is Xianjiao Yoa Pian (scalded kidneys with fresh Chillies).

Besides these dishes, one of the main uses of fresh Chillies is as a side dish or snack. They are eaten raw with salt.  Chillies are also chopped up and served in a separate bowl with meals. These are then sprinkled over food to give it fresh pungency and flavour. When served in this way, rice vinegar and salt may be added.

Another use for Chilllies in Chinese cuisine is in salads. An example of a salad made in China with Chillies is Chinese cucumber salad

Dried Chillies.

The main ingredient

Dried Chillies are the main way of utilising Chillies in Chinese cooking. They are used whole in dishes like gōng bǎo jī dīngung (fried chicken with whole Chillies) and Chongqing Chilli chicken (Chicken that is virtually buried under Chillies during cooking)

Dried Chillies are also used in stir-fried dishes like Yu Xiang Tofu . The Chaotianjiao Chilli (facing heaven Chilli), in particular, is used in a whole dried form because of its attractive appearance. It is a small conical Chilli with a striking red colour and medium heat.

An important element in Chinese is colour.  The red colour that Chilles like dried Erjingtiaos provide is  is highly prized by Chinese cooks.

Dried Chillies are often ground into flakes and Chilli powers  used for seasoning. This can be added to food while it is being prepared, or used to add flavour after it has been cooked. Before the Chillies are ground, they are sometimes fried in oil.

An example of a dish made with dried Chilli flakes is Mapo Tofu. Mapo Tofu is one of the top ten most popular Chinese foods in China and in other parts of the world. It is a famous Sichuan dish made with firm Tofu ( bean curd) , beef , Chilli flakes and Sichuan pepper. The combination of spices makes the dish mouth numbingly hot.

This numbness brought on by Sichuan pepper is a sensation that is particularly enjoyed in the Sichuan region. Indeed. Its citrus-like flavour accompanied by the pleasant tingling is part and parcel of the region’s cuisine.

Chilli Oils

Red oil

Making Chilli oils is an important part of the use of Chillies in Chinese cooking.Chilli oils are made by combining oil with Chillies, Sichuan peppercorns, ginger, sesame seeds and other spices. This Chilli oil, called “Red oil”   is used to season many Chinese meals, but especially Szechuan style dishes.

“Laoganma” Crisp Chilli oil is another example of a Chilli oil found in Chinese cuisine.  Laogan Moa (Old godmother|) is the brand name of a company well known throughout China for making Chilli oils and sauces. These Chilli oils are all made to traditional recipes. They are widely used in Chinese cooking.

A Chilli oil that gives dishes like Gongboa Chicken ( chicken fried with dried Chillies) a scorched flavour.  This dish is made by sizzling Chillies in very hot oil. The oil gets infused with the flavour of the Chillies. It is then used with Sichuan peppers as the base for vegetable stir-fry, and many other recipes including the one mentioned above.  It can be made with any vegetable oil, but peanut oil is generally preferred in China for making Chilli oils.

Various Chillies  are used to make oils. The Erjingtiao Chilli is a favourite. It used to make Chilli oil because of its rich red colour and fragrant flavour.  The Xiaomila (little rice Chilli) is another favourite for making oils.  Lajiaoyou  (Sichuan Chilli oil) is a typical recipe for making Chilli oil with Little Rice Chillies.

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Alpha/ CC BY NC 2.0 / via Flickr

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