Sichuan Pickled Peppers (Paojiao)
This recipe makes enough brine for a quart/liter jar of peppers. Use this paojiao in recipes that call for a pickled pepper paste or as a gluten-free substitute for Pixian doubanjiang (chili bean paste)
Ingredients
- dried erjingtiao chilies, enough to pack a quart/liter jar
- 3 cups water
- 40 grams kosher or sea salt (3-5 tablespoons, depending on type and brand)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons gin, vodka or Chinese baijiu
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil, remove from heat, and add salt and sugar. Stir to dissolve. Let cool completely to room temperature, then stir in gin, vodka or Chinese baijiu.
- Pack dried erjingtiao chilies in a quart/liter pickling jar and cover completely with the cooled brine. Make sure all chilies are submerged beneath the brine, weighting them down if necessary. Cover with lid and leave to ferment at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. You can ferment them longer, but they are not meant to be fully soured, just lightly preserved.
- After fermentation period, pour off most of the brine or remove chilies to a clean glass jar with only a small bit of the brine. Seal tightly and refrigerate up to several months.