Pickled Chili Garlic Sauce (Duo Jiao,剁椒)

Step 1

Wash the chili peppers under running water thoroughly. Drain then pad dry with a clean tea towel or kitchen paper. Lay them on a tray. Leave to air dry completely.

Step 2

Remove the green stems. Cut the peppers into chunks (Wear gloves to avoid burning). If you wish to reduce the spiciness, remove the seeds before cutting (see note 2 to learn how).

Step 3

Peel the garlic and ginger. Crush to loosen the texture a little.

Step 4

Add garlic and ginger to a food processor. Blend them on high speed into a paste-like consistency.

Step 5

Put in the chopped pepper (you might need to add it in two batches depending on the size of your food processor). Blend for 3 seconds then pause. Stir with a spatula then blend for another 3 seconds. Repeat the process until the pepper is evenly chopped into small pieces but not to a fine paste consistency.

Step 6

Pour everything into a large bowl. Add salt, sugar, the juice of the lime/lemon and Bai Jiu (if using). Mix with a spatula until well combined.

Step 7

Cover the bowl and leave to rest on the counter for 48 hours.

Step 8

Transfer the chili garlic sauce into clean, oil-free, air-tight jars/containers. Store in the fridge for up to 3 months or in the freezer for 9 months.

Step 9

Use it a week later for a richer flavour. Always use a clean, oil-free spoon to scoop out the sauce. Put the jar/container back into the fridge after each use.

Step 10

For inspirations on how to use this sauce, pleace read in the post content above.