red chili

General Tso’s chicken is named for Tso Tsung-t’ang, a 19th-century general who is said to have enjoyed eating it. The Hunanese have a strong military tradition, and Tso is one of their best-known historical figures. But although many Chinese dishes are named after famous personages, there is no record of any dish named after Tso. The real roots of the recipe lie in the aftermath of the Chinese civil war, when the leadership of the defeated Nationalist Party fled to the island of Taiwan. They took with them many talented people, including a number of notable chefs, and foremost among them was Peng Chang-kuei. He created this dish in 1950s Taiwan, and brought it with him when he moved to the states in 1973, making it sweeter for American palates. This version is adapted from the original, hot and sour and lacking the sweetness of its Americanized counterpart.

General Tso’s Chicken

double-concentrate tomato paste,

water

potato flour

soy sauce

rice vinegar

chicken stock

(about 4 to 5) skinless, boneless chicken thighs

peanut oil, more as needed

red chilies

ginger

garlic

sesame oil

Scallions, thinly sliced,

Make the sauce by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

To prepare the chicken, unfold the chicken thighs and lay them on a cutting board. Remove as much of the sinew as possible. (If some parts are very thick, cut them in half horizontally.) Slice a few shallow crosshatches into the meat. Cut each thigh into roughly 1/4-inch slices and place in a large bowl. Add the soy sauces and egg yolk and mix well. Stir in the potato flour and 2 teaspoons peanut oil and set aside. Using scissors, snip the chilies into 3/4-inch pieces, discarding the seeds. Set aside.

Pour 3 1/2 cups peanut oil into a large wok, or enough oil to rise 1 1/2 inches from the bottom. Set over high heat until the oil reaches 350 to 400 degrees. Add half the chicken and fry until crisp and deep gold, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate. Repeat with the second batch. Pour the oil into a heatproof container and wipe the wok clean.

Place the wok over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons peanut oil. When hot, add the chilies and stir-fry for a few seconds, until they just start to change color. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry for a few seconds longer, until fragrant. Add the sauce, stirring as it thickens. Return the chicken to the wok and stir vigorously to coat. Remove from the heat, stir in the sesame oil and top with scallions. Serve with rice.

Spicy red chile sauce, made with New Mexico red chile powder, is used as both a marinade and a dipping sauce for these small brochettes, which are ideal party food. They are best grilled outdoors over coals, but also work fine on a stovetop cast iron grill or under the broiler. Threading each piece of meat onto two skewers, rather than one, keeps the meat from twirling and makes it easier to grill. (If you’re using bamboo skewers, soak them in warm water for 15 minutes, so they won’t catch fire.)

Red Chile Pork Brochettes

well-marbled pork shoulder,

Kosher salt

hot New Mexico red chile

tomato,

garlic cloves, mashed to a paste

lime juice

olive oil

cumin

Cut pork into 2-by-2-by-3/4-inch pieces. (You should have about 24 pieces.) Mix 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon chile powder. Use mixture to season pork on both sides.

To skewer, lay meat flat on cutting board. Thread meat onto two skewers spaced equidistant from center; do this first with one skewer, then the other. Put 3 pieces of pork onto each set of skewers, for eight brochettes total.

Cook the tomato (left whole) over hot coals or under broiler until charred and blackened, about 5 minutes. Cut in quarters but do not remove skin.

In a blender or food processor, put 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons chile powder, the charred tomato, the garlic, the lime juice, the olive oil and 1 teaspoon cumin. Blend to obtain a smooth sauce and transfer to a bowl.

Lay brochettes on a tray in 1 layer. Spoon 8 tablespoons chile sauce over pork and spread to cover evenly. (Save remaining sauce.) Leave at room temperature for 1 hour, or refrigerate several hours, then bring to room temperature.

Grill over medium-hot fire for about 3 minutes per side. Sprinkle with remaining toasted cumin. Serve with reserved sauce.

Sudhanshu Kumar&#8217;s Lamb Rogan Josh

lamb

Marinade

(15 ml) canola oil

(15 ml) mustard oil

(30 ml) dry fenugreek leaves

cinnamon

mace flowers

cardamom pods,

bay leaves4 whole nutmegs, crushed

cloves

onion, roughly chopped

garlic cloves,

(100 g) fat-free natural yogurt

Rogan josh sauce

(90 ml) cooking oil

onion, chopped

tomatoes, chopped

coriander,

red chili,

(5 ml) black peppercorns, roughly ground

(10 ml) red chili powder

(5 ml) saffron

(5 ml) rose essence

(10 ml) garam masala

¼ teaspoon (1 ml) salt

(5 ml) coriander cumin powder

(480 ml) warm water

(30 ml) tomato purée

For garnish

coriander leaves

Julienned ginger

For the marinade, add canola oil, mustard oil, dry fenugreek leaves, cinnamon sticks, mace flowers, cardamom pods, bay leaves, crushed nutmeg, cloves, onion, garlic, and ginger to a food processor. Blitz until the mixture becomes a paste. Add paste to yogurt and stir. Cover the lamb with the mixture, then refrigerate for 2 hours, until the lamb gets tender.

For the rogan josh sauce, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add onion and saut until golden brown. Add chopped tomatoes slowly, stirring as you do. Cook for 15 minutes. Add the coriander, red chili, ground peppercorns, chili powder, saffron, rose essence, garam masala, salt, coriander cumin powder and stir together, then cook for another 10 minutes.

For the lamb, add lamb to the saucepan with the rogan josh sauce then saut for 10 minutes over medium heat. Add the tomato pure and stir. Add the warm water, cover with a lid, and simmer for 40-50 minutes, until cooked through.

Serve garnished with fresh coriander leaves and julienned ginger.

The classic sweet and sour combination of onion and tomato makes the base for this quick fish kharra masala. Optional mustard seeds add pungent flavor and pair well with lemon juice, ginger and the smoldering heat of dried round red chiles. Use any kind of white fish you like and add more onion for more sweetness. Serve this bright and punchy dish with rice or roti, or by itself. For a saucier dish that’s more like a curry, stir in a half cup of water, fish stock or coconut milk after Step 2 and bring to a simmer.

Kharra Masala Fish

ghee oil

coriander seeds (optional)

black mustard seeds (optional)

red chiles, preferably Dundicut

Spanish onion,

garam masala

turmeric

kashmiri red chile powder

plum tomatoes, chopped

fine sea salt

firm, skinless white fish,

Thai green chiles

(2-inch) piece of ginger, peeled and julienned

cilantro

Heat ghee in a medium pot over medium until it melts, 30 to 45 seconds. Add the seeds and round red chiles. Stir continuously until fragrant, about 30 to 45 seconds.

Add onion. Stir occasionally, and continue cooking until it starts to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garam masala, cumin, turmeric and chile powder. Add the tomatoes and salt, and stir so all the ingredients are evenly mixed. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are tender and the oil starts to separate (you’ll see the oil form an outline around the jammy tomato), about 7 minutes.

Add the fish pieces in one layer, cover and let cook over low heat for 7 minutes. Remove the lid, and flip the fish pieces so they are coated with masala on all sides. Cover again and let it cook on low until the fish is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Top with lemon juice, green chiles, ginger and fresh cilantro. Serve with roti, rice or by itself.

Mixed Seafood Burger with Horseradish Tartar Sauce

Seafood Burgers

½ lb (225 g) Prawns

½ lb (225 g) Scallops

½ lb (225 g) skinless Halibut (or any white fish)

Green onions, thinly chopped

Tbsp (30 ml) Fresh parsley, chopped

Tbsp (30 ml) Dill, chopped

Tbsp (15 milliliters) Lemon zest (optional)

lemon

Salt and pepper

eggs, separated

Tbsp (42 g) Butter

burger buns

Optional burger toppings

Lettuce

Tomatoes

Onion

Pickle

Tartar sauce

Shallot

clove

tsp (5 ml) Parsley

tsp (10 ml) Capers

Lemon, juiced

(60 ml) Mayonnaise

(60 ml) Sour cream

tsp (5 ml) Horseradish sauce

 Butterfly the prawns by slicing it horizontally, halving the thickness of the meat. Cut into small chunks.

 Place cold halibut in a food processor and pulse until fish is well chopped and pulpy. Do not over process. Transfer to the bowl of scallops and prawns. Add green onion, parsley, dill, lemon juice, lemon zest and lightly season with salt and pepper.

 Separate eggs. Add yolks to the seafood and herbs. Whisk egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into the seafood mixture. Add panko, red chilli, and stir together gently. Flatten mixture in the bowl with a spatula and press it gently into the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to bind.

 Use a 4-inch mould to form seafood mixture into patties. Sprinkle a layer of panko over a flat surface, place your mould on the panko and fill it with the seafood. Flatten the seafood into a thick fish burger. Sprinkle with a touch of panko.

 Add butter and oil to a hot pan. Lay patties in the pan, panko-covered side down. Cook for 1-2 minutes a side, until outer layer is crispy. Remove patties to a parchment lined baking sheet. Place in oven for 3-5 minutes. Cooking time will depend on thickness of burger.

 Drizzle burger buns with oil and place in oven with the burgers.

 Spoon tartar sauce over each bun. Add seafood patty, and more tartar sauce. Finish burger with iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, salt, pepper, onion, and a pickle, or your own favourite toppings.

Sweet, sour and a little spicy, this meal tastes like home — specifically the home of Pearl Han, a talented Taiwanese American cook who naturally streamlined dishes while raising three kids and managing a busy career. Her younger daughter, Grace Han, shared this recipe: “quick, easy and my mom’s favorite.” Dried chiles sizzle in oil first to impart heat to the whole dish, then chicken browns in a single layer — no high-heat stir-frying necessary — to create a tasty caramelized crust before the pieces are flipped together. Coated in a dead-simple kung pao sauce that delivers the dish’s signature salty tang, the chicken begs to be spooned over steamed rice. Serve with <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022651-stir-fried-brussels-sprouts">stir-fried vegetables</a> as well for a complete meal.

Easy Kung Pao Chicken

chicken

cornstarch

Salt and ground black or Sichuan pepper

Chinkiang (black) vinegar or balsamic vinegar

sugar

neutral oil,

red chiles (15 grams; see Tip)

Mix the chicken, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and a big pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl until evenly coated. Let sit while you prepare the sauce.

Stir the vinegar, sugar, remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a small bowl.

Combine the oil and chiles in a wok or large nonstick skillet, and set over medium heat. When the chiles start to sizzle and brown, about 15 seconds, push them to one side of the pan. Add the chicken to the other side all at once and spread in a single, even layer. Cook, without moving the pieces, until the bottoms are dark golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. If the chiles start to blacken, put them on top of the chicken so that they don’t burn.

Using a large spatula, flip the chicken in portions. Cook just until the meat almost loses all of its pinkness, 1 to 2 minutes more. Stir the sauce and pour it into the pan. Stir until the sauce thickens and slicks the chicken evenly. Immediately transfer to a plate and serve hot.

Chicken karahi is emblematic of Pakistani cooking, with its concentrated flavors that come from tomatoes simmered down to their sweet and tangy complexity. It is traditionally made in a karahi, a wide-mouthed, high-sided pan similar to a wok, which makes the cooking process quick and easy. (A deep 10- to 12-inch skillet works well, too.) A myriad of spices – kashmiri red chile powder, cumin, coriander and turmeric – adds layers of heat. Finishing with plenty of thin matchsticks of ginger provides cooling freshness. Typically made with bone-in chicken pieces, this recipe calls for cubed boneless chicken thighs for a quicker cook time, so this classic dish can be enjoyed often.

Quick Chicken Karahi (Spicy Chicken and Tomatoes With Chiles)

red chiles, preferably Dundicut (see Tip)

garlic paste garlic

ginger paste ginger

coriander

plum tomatoes,

full-fat Greek yogurt

lemon juice (from about half a lemon)

black pepper

(2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and julienned

Roti

Heat ghee in a karahi, wok or high-sided 10- to 12-inch skillet over medium for 30 seconds. Add dried chiles and stir. Add garlic paste, ginger paste, chicken and the finely chopped Thai chiles. Stir-fry over high heat until the chicken is no longer pink, about 6 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium. Add red chile powder, cumin, coriander and turmeric. Stir for 10 seconds or until everything is mixed well. Add tomatoes and salt. Stir. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove the lid, increase to high heat, and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid from the tomatoes and chicken has cooked off, about 7 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium. Stir in yogurt. Add remaining whole Thai chiles. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, and if the karahi is saucy, increase heat to high, and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has cooked off.

Turn off the heat. Sprinkle with lemon juice, black pepper, garam masala, cilantro and julienned ginger. Serve with roti or store-bought pita.

Chile Colorado is a flavorful and authentic Mexican stew. Tender beef chunks simmer in a tasty red sauce made from dried chili peppers.

Chile Colorado

guajillo chilis (or New Mexico chilis)

ancho chilis

2-3 árbol chilis (optional)

garlic, divided

Tbsp oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)

salt

½ tsp black pepper

roast,

all-purpose flour

Tbsp canola or vegetable oil

onion,

bay leaves

Cut the stems off and make a slit...

Cut the stems off and make a slit along the side to open them and discard the seeds. Add the chilis into a small pot and add water until they are completely submerged. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and allow to soak for 10 minutes. Do not discard soaking water.

Transfer soaked chilis, 2.5 cups of the soaking...

Transfer soaked chilis, 2.5 cups of the soaking water, 3 garlic cloves, oregano, cumin salt, and pepper to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

If you prefer a smoother sauce (which we...

If you prefer a smoother sauce (which we do), pour the prepared red sauce through a fine mesh sieve. Use a spoon to push down and work all of the liquid portion through the holes.

Season the beef chunks generously with salt and...

Season the beef chunks generously with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear beef chunks on all sides, working in batches if necessary. Remove to a plate.

Add the onion into the pot and sauté...

Add the onion into the pot and sauté until it begins to soften. Add in remaining two garlic cloves (finely chopped), and cook for a minute.

Add beef chunks back into the pot, along...

Add beef chunks back into the pot, along with red chili sauce and bay leaves. Mix well. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally.

Remove cover from the pot. Continue cooking for...

Remove cover from the pot. Continue cooking for and additional 1 hour, uncovered, until beef is tender and the sauce has reduced to a thick and rich consistency.

Serve with rice, pinto beans, and garnishes like...

Serve with rice, pinto beans, and garnishes like lime wedges and sliced radishes.

Top 8 red chili recipes from across the web

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Top Tags

General Tso’s Chicken

Red Chile Pork Brochettes

Sudhanshu Kumar’s Lamb Rogan ...

Kharra Masala Fish

Mixed Seafood Burger with Horseradi...

Easy Kung Pao Chicken

Quick Chicken Karahi (Spicy Chicken...

Chile Colorado

Top 8 red chili recipes from across the web

The most viewed red chili recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

General Tso’s Chicken

Red Chile Pork Brochettes

Sudhanshu Kumar&#8217;s Lamb Rogan ...

Kharra Masala Fish

Mixed Seafood Burger with Horseradi...

Easy Kung Pao Chicken

Quick Chicken Karahi (Spicy Chicken...

Chile Colorado

The most viewed red chili recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Sudhanshu Kumar’s Lamb Rogan ...