Dear Friends, Hello everyone! Chili peppers, a seemingly ordinary ingredient, play a pivotal role in China's food culture. It not only brings stimulation and enjoyment to people's taste buds, but also a kind of emotional sustenance and an attitude towards life. In this vast land, there are many varieties of chili peppers, each with its own characteristics, and together they compose a song of China.
The origins of chili peppers can be traced back to South America, where they were domesticated and cultivated by the Indians around 7500 BC. With the discovery of the New World by Columbus, chili peppers were introduced to Europe, from Europe to Asia, and finally to China. In this process, chili peppers continue to integrate with the climate, soil, and food culture of various places, and gradually form their own distinctive varieties.
In China, chili peppers are grown in a wide area, from south to north, from east to west, almost all over the country. Due to the differences in geographical environment, pepper varieties also show rich and diverse characteristics. Here, we will highlight several representative local pepper varieties.
First of allChopped peppers from Sichuan。Chopped pepper is a commonly used seasoning in Sichuan cuisine, which has a moderate spiciness, and a delicious taste. The production process of chopped pepper is unique, fresh red pepper is chopped, minced garlic, ginger, salt and other seasonings are added, stirred evenly and then sealed and fermented. After a period of fermentation, the flavor of the chopped pepper is more intense and moderately spicy, which brings out the deliciousness of the dish without overly stimulating the taste buds. The emergence of chopped pepper has made Sichuan cuisine more colorful, and it has also become a beautiful scenery on people's tables.
Next is the chopped pepper fish head from Hunan. Chopped pepper fish head is one of the representatives of Hunan cuisine, with fresh and tender fish head and spicy chopped pepper as the main ingredients. The production process of chopped pepper fish head pays attention to the combination of heat and seasoning, stew the fish head until the meat is fresh and tender, and then add chopped pepper, minced garlic, minced ginger and other seasonings, stir-fry evenly. This dish is bright red in color, delicious in taste, spicy and numb, and has an endless aftertaste. The birth of chopped pepper fish head not only enriches the connotation of Hunan cuisine, but also allows people to appreciate the charm of chili pepper.
Let's talk about Guizhou's Miaojia sour soup fish. Miaojia sour soup fish is a special dish in Guizhou, characterized by sour and spicy soup and tender fish. In the process of making Miaojia sour soup fish, a special chili pepper will be addedGuizhou Chaotian pepper。This pepper is extremely spicy, but has a strong aroma that gives the dish a unique flavor. Once the fish is cooked, remove it and set aside. Then, stir-fry Guizhou Chaotian pepper, minced garlic, minced ginger and other seasonings until fragrant, add the broth to boil, then put the fish into the pot and simmer for a while. Finally, add vinegar, cooking wine and other seasonings, and sprinkle with chopped green onions, coriander, etc. before cooking. The dish is moderately sour and spicy, and the fish is tender and intoxicating.
In addition to the above local pepper varieties, there are many other representative pepper varieties in China, such as shabu chili pepper from Yunnan, Shacha sauce in Chaoshan beef hot pot from Guangdong, and red oil from Shaanxi Province. Each of these pepper varieties has its own unique characteristics and adds color to the food culture of each region.
Chili pepper is not only a seasoning, but also an emotional sustenance. In China's food culture, chili peppers carry people's yearning for a better life and nostalgia for their hometown. Each dish with chili peppers as the main ingredient contains a rich regional culture and historical heritage. They have witnessed the prosperity and development of Chinese food culture, and have also become eternal taste memories in people's hearts.
Diners, chili peppers, as an ingredient with a long history, have penetrated into all aspects of Chinese food culture. It has a wide variety of varieties with its own characteristics, bringing endless surprises and enjoyment to people's taste buds. In this era full of changes, chili pepper will continue to accompany us and witness the prosperity and development of Chinese food culture. Let's look forward to the fact that China will bring us more good memories and happy times.