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Hunan tiger-skin peppers
Blistered green chillies in a sweet, sour and smoky glaze
Hu pi jian jiao, 'tiger-skin peppers', is everyday home cooking in Hunan, the province famous for loving chilli even more than Sichuan does. Long green peppers are pressed into a hot, dry wok until their skins blacken in stripes like a tiger's coat, then glazed with soy, black vinegar and a touch of sugar. In Changsha it's eaten with plenty of rice, which tames the heat. Chef's tip: press the peppers flat with a spatula as they cook so the whole skin touches the iron and blisters evenly.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
Main
Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ½ tbsp light soy sauce, 1 ½ tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, ¼ tsp salt and 2 tbsp water in a cup.
Step 2: Heat a dry wok over a medium-high heat. Add 10 ½ oz long green peppers or mild green chillies with no oil and press them against the wok with a spatula, turning occasionally, for 5–6 minutes until the skins are blistered and charred in patches and the peppers are soft and creased.
6 minStep 3: Push the peppers aside, add 2 tbsp vegetable oil and fry 4 cloves garlic for 20 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the sauce; it will hiss and reduce within a minute. Toss the peppers through until glazed and the liquid is almost gone.
2 minStep 4: Common mistake: using thick bell peppers. They release water and stew instead of blistering; long, thin-walled peppers char properly. Serve hot with rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does hunan tiger-skin peppers take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of light soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
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