Sichuan Chili Flakes: Chinese Ingredients Glossary | The Woks of Life
Sichuan Chili Flakes by: Everyone 0 Comments Posted:12/20/2020Updated:1/11/2021 Visit just about any pizza parlor or casual Italian eatery in the United States.You’ll find a jar of crushed red pepper flakes on the table alongside the salt and pepper.This “pizza pepper” may come to mind when you hear the phrase “red chili flakes” or “crushed red pepper.” But the Sichuan chili flakes in our spice cabinet are a whole different ball game.
Many of our favorite recipes simply wouldn’t be the same without them.Let’s talk more about what this ingredient is, and how to use it.What Are Sichuan Chili Flakes? Chinese Sichuan chili flakes, or làjiāo fēn (辣椒芬), start out as spicy red chili peppers.
Varieties include small “Facing Heaven” peppers (named for how they grow pointed skyward) or the slightly milder er jin tiao peppers popular in Sichuan Province.After frying the chilies until crisp, they then get crushed into a flaky seasoning, seeds and all.The seeds of a chili pepper are a main source of its heat, so make no mistake: this spice can pack a punch.
Adding a dash or two is a quick way to crank up the heat of a recipe. However, Sichuan chili flakes do tend to be a bit milder than standard Italian crushed red pepper.They’re also more vividly red and aromatic.(Think: the nuttiness of popcorn.) This is key for some of their most common applications.
How To Use Them While they make a great seasoning
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Publisher: The Woks of Life