Douhua Seasoning

Step 1

Remove the stems from the fresh chili peppers, thread them onto iron skewers, and grill over charcoal until the skin becomes slightly wrinkled. Remove from the heat, pull out the skewers, transfer the peppers to a mortar, add the fresh Sichuan peppercorns, and pound into a paste.

Step 2

Place a clean wok over the heat, add the rapeseed oil and bring it up to temperature, then pour the hot oil over the chili paste. It is now ready.

Key points:

1. This is a folk method for making chili oil that is widely used in border regions, and is especially popular when paired with fresh douhua (tofu pudding).
2. Because fresh chili peppers contain a lot of moisture, the oil temperature should be slightly higher than usual.
3. When serving, this chili oil tastes especially good mixed with soy sauce, MSG, scallions, and fish-fragrant sauce; you can also add a pinch of crispy fried soybeans and minced ya cai (preserved mustard greens).
4. Once prepared, the chili oil is fresh, spicy, and aromatic, with a long-lasting finish.
5. Fresh chili peppers can also be processed into a paste using a meat grinder.