Szechuan Pan Fried Peppers (Tiger Skin Peppers, 虎皮尖椒)

Method9 steps · about 30 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Mix the 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons black rice vinegar and 1 tablespoon sugar in a small bowl until combined.

   Uses 3 tablespoons soy sauce · 3 tablespoons black rice vinegar · 1 tablespoon sugar

2. 2

   Step 2: Use the weighed 500 g peppers. Wearing gloves, slit each lengthwise from top to tip and remove its stem and seeds with a knife or spoon. Peel the 4 garlic cloves if needed. Dry the peppers well before frying.

   Uses 500 g Hatch peppers or Anaheim peppers · 4 cloves garlic, peeled

3. 3

   Step 3: Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to a large nonstick skillet and heat over medium heat until warm. A broad flat pan lets the peppers contact the hot surface; a wok may take longer.

   Uses 1 tbsp oil for pan-frying peppers

4. 4

   Step 4: Add the prepared peppers and pan-fry, turning and moving them so their skins contact the pan, for about 15 minutes. Finish when tender, yellowish-green and well blistered. Reduce the heat if the pan starts smoking; if the peppers need longer to soften, keep following the tenderness and blistering endpoints. Transfer to a plate.

   Blister and soften peppers · 15 minUses prepared dry peppers · warm first tablespoon oil

5. 5

   Step 5: Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil and peeled garlic to the same pan. Turn to medium-high heat and stir briefly until fragrant.

   Uses remaining 1/2 tbsp oil for garlic · prepared peeled garlic

6. 6

   Step 6: Return the tender blistered peppers to the garlic pan and stir a few times to combine.

   Uses tender blistered peppers · fragrant garlic and remaining oil

7. 7

   Step 7: Pour the prepared soy-vinegar sauce over the peppers and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until it thickens enough to coat them.

   Coat peppers in reduced sauce · 1 minUses blistered peppers and fragrant garlic · prepared soy-vinegar-sugar sauce

8. 8

   Step 8: For cold serving only, cool briefly and promptly refrigerate the cooked peppers in a shallow covered container at 40°F (4°C) or colder until chilled. Refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Skip this stage if serving warm.

   Uses finished peppers selected for cold serving

9. 9

   Step 9: Serve the warm finished peppers, or the chilled peppers if that route was chosen, as a side dish. Offer already-steamed white rice if desired.

   Uses warm finished peppers, if warm serving chosen · chilled finished peppers, if cold serving chosen · Steamed white rice, already cooked, as desired for serving (optional)