Green pepper sauce, a delicacy originating from southwest China, not only carries a strong local flavor, but also contains a profound historical and cultural heritage. As early as the Tang Dynasty, chili peppers began to be cultivated in the land of Sichuan and Shu, but the real integration of chili peppers into food culture began in the Ming Dynasty. According to the "History of the Ming Dynasty· Food and Goods Chronicles", after chili peppers were introduced to China, they gradually became an important condiment on the tables of people in Sichuan, Guizhou, Hunan and other places. In the Qing Dynasty, the consumption of chili peppers has been quite popular, especially in Sichuan, due to the heavy humidity, the local people like to eat spicy food to dispel dampness and drive away cold, green pepper sauce was born under this eating habit.
In folklore, the birth of green pepper sauce is associated with a Taoist priest named Zhang Sanfeng. Zhang Sanfeng traveled to Sichuan and Shu, tasted the delicious taste of local chili peppers, combined with the Taoist concept of health preservation, and created a condiment of green pepper sauce, which not only satisfied the appetite, but also took into account health. With the passage of time, the production process of green pepper sauce has been continuously improved, and it has become an indispensable condiment in Sichuan cuisine.
Cooking steps:
**Required Materials**:
- Green pepper 500 grams
- Ginger 30 grams
- 20 grams of garlic
- Peanut oil 100 ml
- Salt 10 g
- 5 grams of sugar
- Light soy sauce 15ml
- Vinegar 10 ml
**Steps**:
1. **Wash the green peppers**: Wash the fresh green peppers, remove the stems and seeds, and cut them into small pieces.
2. **Stir-fried green pepper**: Pour peanut oil into the pot, heat until it is 60% hot, put in the green pepper pieces, stir-fry until the skin of the green pepper is slightly wrinkled, and set aside.
3. **Stir-fry seasoning**: Leave the bottom oil in the pot, add minced ginger and garlic, and stir-fry over low heat to bring out the fragrance.
4. **Mix to taste**: Pour the fried green peppers back into the pot, add salt, sugar, light soy sauce and vinegar, and stir-fry quickly and evenly.
5. **Mash and bottle**: Pour the fried green pepper paste into a clean container, gently crush it with the back of a spoon to make it more delicate, and then seal and refrigerate for preservation.
Explain the principle
Green peppers are stir-fried at high temperatures, which will release more aroma components, and at the same time, make the vitamin C in it easier for the body to be absorbed. The addition of ginger and garlic not only increases the flavor, but also acts as an antibacterial and antiseptic effect. The seasoning is added to balance the spiciness, so that the green pepper sauce is layered, with both spicy flavor and sweet, sour and salty aroma.
Precautions
- When choosing green peppers, choose bright colors and smooth skins, which taste better.
- The heat should not be too high when stir-frying, so as to prevent the green peppers from changing color too quickly, which will affect the appearance and taste.
- Before sealing, the container should be dry and water-free to avoid spoilage of the sauce.
North-South differences
In the north, green pepper sauce may be made with more minced garlic to suit the rich taste that northerners prefer. In the south, especially in Guangdong and Fujian, seafood soy sauce or fish sauce may be added to increase the umami flavor of the sauce.
Three dishes recommended
1. **Stir-fried shredded pork with green pepper sauce**: Shred the lean pork, marinate it with corn starch and cooking wine, fry it quickly, add an appropriate amount of green pepper sauce and stir-fry, and you can get out of the pot.
2. **Green Pepper Sauce Mixed Noodles**: Drain the boiled noodles after cold water, add green pepper sauce, chopped green onions, and sesame oil and mix well, refreshing and delicious.
3. **Grilled chicken wings with green pepper sauce**: After the chicken wings are marinated, brush with a layer of green pepper sauce and bake them in the oven until golden brown, charred on the outside and tender on the inside.
Practical cooking tips
- When making green pepper sauce, try grilling some of the green peppers over a charcoal fire or in the oven and then sautéing them with other unroasted green peppers to add to the smoky aroma and enrich the sauce.
- If you don't like it too spicy, you can choose a green pepper variety with less spiciness, or reduce the number of green peppers during the stir-frying process and increase the proportion of other vegetables such as red peppers and yellow peppers to achieve a balance of color and taste.
- When seasoning, the ratio of sugar and vinegar can be adjusted appropriately to determine the final sweetness and sourness according to personal taste preferences.