![]() They require filing a lot more paperwork with the FDA, detailing the production process and chemical analysis, and Chinese manufacturers (other than a few canneries) are not interested in a lot more American paperwork. One of the things I’ve learned as a food importer is that low-acid (and “acidified” or acid-added) foods such as brined paojiao pickles are much more difficult to import than naturally high-acid foods. But by pickled, I mean naturally preserved in the Sichuan style vs. When ripe red in the summer they are also pickled. They have a very appealing shape and texture as well as taste and are used in their green form in stir-fries year-round. Erjingtiao are fruity, fragrant, thin-skinned, not too fleshy, and perfectly, moderately hot. ![]() Any guesses?)īut we in the West do not have easy access to fresh erjingtiao or any similar chili. (I wish I knew what that added ingredient is in this version. Pickled erjingtiao for sale at a supermarket in Chengdu Pickled erjingtiao is also sold already minced. You don’t often see them packaged for supermarkets in Chengdu either, but instead get them from the prepared-food section of the grocery store or, better yet, from the pickle woman at the wet market, since they are better when freshly pickled and are easily made if you have easy access to fresh erjingtiao. You don’t see these pickled peppers often in Asian markets outside Sichuan, and when you do they usually look pretty old and sad. In the case of chili bean paste, erjingtiao are fermented along with broad (fava) beans in a dry salt brine, and for paojiao they are lightly pickled in a wet brine. You’ll lose some of the umami funk of the fermented beans, but you’ll retain the one-of-a-kind-fermented chili taste, since doubanjiang and paojiao are both made from Sichuan’s beloved erjingtiao chili. Paojiao is used most famously in Sichuan’s yuxiang-flavored dishes-starting with yuxiang pork and yuxiang eggplant-as well as in cold dishes/salads, but can be used in place of chili bean paste in other dishes as well. And some of you are looking for a gluten-free alternative to doubanjiang, whose fermentation is kickstarted with wheat (as are almost all fermented Chinese sauces). Some of you just want a lighter touch than doubanjiang, the funky Sichuan base sauce that is made from a combination of fermented chiles and broad beans and is the go-to for most dishes. ![]() Many of you have asked us to source paojiao (泡椒, pàojiāo), the pickled hot peppers or pepper paste used in numerous Sichuan dishes.
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