Tiger Skin Green Chili Dishes

Hupi Qingjiao Caiyao (虎皮青椒菜肴)

Fresh fragrant green chilies are fried until lightly charred and wrinkly – the dark bands like stripes of a tiger. These tender chilies are then tossed in a flavorful vinaigrette to create an incredible side.

Tiger-Skin Green Chilies can be made with nearly any type of Green Chili or Green Pepper. In fact, the Chinese word for Green Chili (青椒) is rather generic and can be used to describe any type of Green Pepper. Regardless, there are a few preferred long Green Chilies used for these dishes. Popular Chilies and Peppers include Green Pointed Peppers (青尖椒) and Green Longhorn Chilies (青牛角椒). Both are quite large, though Pointed Peppers are just a touch less spicy. Pointed Peppers have more heat than a bell pepper but far less than a jalapeño. Longhorn Peppers, on the other hand, are actually a type of Cayenne Pepper and a little spicier than Pointed Peppers. Green Bell Peppers, though not as common, can also be used for those wanting to avoid any heat.

Tiger-Skin Green Chilies are known for their wrinkly skin often marked with charred bands. There are two common methods of achieving this texture: Pan-Frying (煎) and Deep-Frying (炸). Pan-Frying is the more iconic way to make Tiger-Skin Green Chilies. The Chilies are cooked in a seasoned wok with little to no oil and seared against the hot metal. Deep-Frying is even easier as the Green Chilies are simply Deep-Fried in hot oil, creating the wrinkly tiger-skin-like texture. Whatever the cooking method, Tiger-Skin Green Chilies are always flavored similarly with a tangy, aromatic vinaigrette.

There are three common Tiger-Skin Green Chili dishes. The first is the Classic Tiger-Skin Green Chilies; a recipe for which, can be found below. Another popular version is Saucy Tiger-Skin Green Chilies (酱虎皮青椒), in which the Chilies are deep-fried and tossed in an ultra-flavorful sauce. Finally, there are Stuffed Tiger-Skin Green Chilies (酿虎皮青尖椒), which are perhaps the most delicious Green Chili side-dish and involve stuffing the Peppers with ground pork and mushrooms.

Classic Tiger Skin Green Chilies

Hupi Qingjiao (虎皮青椒)

Fresh green chilies are pan-fried in a searing-hot wok until lightly charred and then tossed in a tangy vinaigrette for a classic no-hassle Sichuan side dish that guests are sure to love.

Tiger-Skin Green Chilies are quite possibly one of the easiest Sichuan dishes to make. Simply cook, sauce, and enjoy. The Green Chilies are charred in a seasoned wok and then tossed in a delicious vinaigrette made with Chinkiang Black Vinegar, Light Soy Sauce, and a touch of Sugar.

The name ‘Tiger-Skin’ refers to the lightly charred bands crisscrossing the surface of the Green Chilies like the black stripes of a tiger’s fur. Creating these bands is simply a matter of pressing the Chili against the hot metal of a wok. The heat from the wok will cause the skin of the Chili to wrinkle and cook at slightly different rates, thus creating bands. While traditionally made in a wok, this is one of the few dishes in which a skillet can be used. The flat surface makes it easier to evenly cook the Chilies. However, a wok is still less cumbersome with regards to quickly flipping and swirling around the Chilies.

The classic version of Tiger-Skin Green Chilies really has a simple Sauce. The tangy, umami Sauce highlights the exceptional flavor of the Green Chilies. In fact, this Sauce could be simplified even further to merely Chinkiang Black Vinegar and Salt. Each additional ingredient adds another layer of flavor atop these to better balance the Sauce. Soy Sauce adds a complex salty-umami goodness; Garlic adds an aromatic flavor; and, Sugar adds a touch of sweetness. Each one of these ingredients combine harmoniously, enhancing the flavor of the Green Chilies. I would recommend using Green Chilies such as Green Pointed Peppers (青尖椒) which are not overly spicy, though this is a personal preference. Green Longhorn Chilies (青牛角椒) can also be used, but they generally are spicier than Pointed Peppers and have just a touch of bitterness. The minute bitterness of Green Longhorn Chilies does mellow after pan-frying, though I feel that Pointed Peppers simply harmonize better with the following vinaigrette.

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 10 min

Total Time: 15 min

Serving: 4 people

Ingredients

6 – 8 Large Green Chilies (Such as Green Pointed Peppers 青尖椒 or Green Longhorn Chilies 青牛角椒)

Aromatics
1 large clove of Garlic

Sauce
2 Tbsp. Light Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp. Chinkiang Black Vinegar
1 Tbsp. Water
1 tsp. Sugar
1/2 tsp. Salt

Directions

1.) Wash the Chilies and cut off the top 1/2-inch of the Chili to remove the stem. Use your fingers to pull out and discard the core. Finally, cut the Chilies into 4-inch-long pieces, smash them flat, and set the pieces aside in a bowl.

(The Chilies can be kept whole, but 4-inch-long pieces are easier to handle with chopsticks.)

2.) Peel and finely mince the Garlic or simply cut it into slices. Place the Garlic in a small bowl for Aromatics.

(A teaspoon or two of finely sliced white stalks of Small Scallion 小葱 could be added to this bowl. Also, pinch of the minced Garlic can be saved and used as a garnish).

3.) Prepare a bowl for the Sauce (Soy Sauce, Vinegar, Water, Sugar, and Salt), mixing everything together until the Salt and Sugar has dissolved.

4.) Heat a seasoned wok on medium-high heat and add about 1/4 cup of Peanut Oil. When the Oil is nearly smoking. Add the Green Chilies and allow them to rest in the bottom of the wok for about 1 minute while gently pressing and holding each Chili down against the hot metal.

(Your goal is to sear and slightly char each Chili, giving them the iconic wrinkly skin and dark bands. I recommend using about 1/4 cup of Peanut Oil during this process, but this is quite optional. Some chefs use little to no Oil when making this dish; others will use so much Oil, they practically deep-fry the Green Chilies. The best way is to experiment and determine which is the optimal method for you).

5.) When the ‘skins’ of the Green Chilies are slightly charred and quite wrinkly, flip all of the Chilies and cook them on the other side, repeating the process. Towards the end of this searing process, you can start to gently swirl the Chilies around the bottom of the wok to get a more even texture.

6.) Push the charred Chilies to one side of the wok and add the Garlic, heating it just until fragrant and then mixing it with the Chilies.

7.) Finally, pour in the Sauce, increase the heat to high, and gently mix everything together for just a few seconds.

8.) Immediately, plate the Green Chilies, drizzle on the excess Sauce, optionally garnish with a little finely minced fresh Garlic, and serve the Tiger-Skin Green Chilies along with other classic Sichuan dishes. This dish can be served either hot or at room temperature.

 

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