Chinese Chilis


Sichuan Chicken with Chilis China is not widely known as a land of Chilis, and many regions are quite adverse to them, but their use is becoming more widespread due to the increasing popularity of the cuisines from the five most southern provinces: Sichuan, Hunan, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi.

Like everywhere else, it was the Portuguese who brought hot chilis to China, to Zhejiang by 1671. They aren't recorded in Sichuan until 1749.

The cuisines of Sichuan and Hunan are very distinctive, and have become quite popular outside the region, both in China and in the West. The cuisines of Yunnan, which borders Burma, Thailand, Laos, Sichuan, and Hunan are much less known. They are more similar to those of Southeast Asian, and vary with the many ethnicities that live there.

The cuisines of Guizou are also little known. They are mostly a patchwork of dishes adopted from the other southern regions, but also a lot from the Cantonese (Guangdong) to the east. The cuisines of Guangxi, which borders on Yunnan, Hunan, Guizou, Guangdong and Vietnam, are so little known, Wikipedia has only four rather non-specific lines with an error on one - and that could be the definition of "little known".

More on Chili Peppers.


Chili Varieties - Fresh & Dried

Many more Chili varieties are grown in China, including many local varieties, but the ones listed here are predominant enough to be named export items.

Erjingtiao Chili


Dried Erjingtiao Chilis [Er Jing Tiao; Two Vitex; C.annuum]

This is a unique chili, with a strong aroma and taste, but with very moderate heat, at about H3. It is used in many ways, dried and ground to flakes or powder, as an ingredient or as a dry dip.

This chili is so mild it is often eaten as a vegetable, green or red, as Anaheim chilis are here, seasoned with salt and soy sauce, or in recipes. In Sichuan, it also an essential ingredient in Chili Oil and various sauces. It is particularly essential in the famous Broad Bean Chili Sauce (La-Doubanjiang) of the region. These are up 7 inches long and 1 inch wide (178 x 25 mm).

Subst: Chili Negro is of similar size, shape, and almost the exact same heat, though a darker color. It is similarly aromatic, but noticeably sweeter. Indian Byadagi is of similar size and shape, and has almost exactly the same heat, but has a lighter less aromatic taste and much redder color.

Facing Heaven Chili


Dried Facing Heaven Chilis [Chao Tian Jiaom; C.annuum]

These get their name from ripening point up. They are great chilis to use when you want a decorative scattering of chilis that aren't very hot, as in Sichuan Chicken or Kung Pao Chicken. They look fierce, but have low heat, about H3 - though a few can surprise. These are up to 2-3/4 inches long and 0.58 inch wide (70 x 15 mm).   Subst:   The closest we have in North America is the Japones, but they are quite a bit hotter. For primarily decorative purposes, this should not be a problem.

Bullet Head Chili


Dried Bullet Head Chilis [Zi Dan Tou]

This is a medium hot chili, often used by chefs as the whole chilis scattered in Mala Chicken or Kung Pao Chicken stir fry. It has good flavor and is moderately hot at low to mid H7. They are up to 2-3/4 inches long and 0.88 inch wide at the big end (70 x 22 mm).   Subst: While slightly different in shape and flavor, and just a little hotter, the common Japones are an acceptable substitute, especially for decorative applications.

Lantern Chili


Dried Lantern Chilis [Deng Long Jiao]

A short, wide, intensely red chili of relatively moderate heat, about H3 at most. This chili is often used as a decorative item in Sichuan cuisines. The largest in the batch was 1.45 inches long, 1.31 inches diameter and nearly weightless. They were imported from Guizhou China.

Rice Grain Chili


Dried Star in the Sky Chilis [Xiao mi la, Stars-in-the-Sky Chili (Man tian xing); C frutescens]

These little guys are hot enough to make the Chinese see stars, but still not quite as hot as Thai Bird Chilis. They were used mostly in Yunnan province, which borders Burma, Thailand and Laos, but have now really caught on with Sichuan chefs, red, green and dried. Hotness is about H8, and they are up to 1-3/4 inches long by 0.48 inch wide (45 x 12 mm).   Subst:   Thai chilis.

Japone Chili


Dried Japone Chilis [Chinese Chili Pepper; Tien Tsin (China); Hontaka, Santaka, (Japan); C. annuum]

This chili originated in Jalisco, Mexico, but has become well known in South and Southeast Asia, and are grown very extensively in China, the second largest Chili exporter in the world (but less than half India's exports). They are easily identifiable by having no caps or stems. In North America, this is pretty much the default dried red chili, available everywhere. It has good flavor and is moderately hot at low to mid H7. They are up to 2-3/4 inches long and 0.63 inch wide (70 x 16 mm) and fairly plump.

Seven Star Chili


Dried Seven Star Chilis [Qixingjiao; C frutescens]

Another "heaven pointing chili", this is the hottest chili grown in Southern China, and the one official for chili eating contests there. They can be up to 2-1/2 inches long and 0.5 inch wide. Hotness is H9 (60,000 SU). These are interchangeable with Dried Red Thai Chilis from Thailand, and are hotter than what are sold as Thai Chilis here in North America.

Pickled Red Chilis


Whole Pickled Red Asian Chilis [C. annuum]

These pickled red chilis are important to the cuisine of Hunan, China and surrounding regions . They are best naturally salt fermented, but those aren't much available in North America. Ubiquitous in all Asian markets here in California is the Thai product shown in the photo. Apparently these are sufficiently acceptable to the cuisines that use pickled red peppers, it isn't urgent to have other types. These range from 2-1/4 to 2-3/4 inches long and are moderately hot, around H4.

Thai Chili


Rat Turd Chilis [Rat Turd Chili, Prik Ki Nu (Thai); Mak Pet Ki Nuu (Laos); Nga Yut Thee (Burma); Scuds (some chefs); C. annuum]

Currently (2020), Sichuan chefs have become enamored with the Xiao mi la (Rice Grain Chili) from Yunnan, fresh green and red, as well as dried. We do not have much access to these at this time in North America, but this variety of Thai Chili is very much available in all three stages, and will be of similar heat. It is small, often less than 1-3/4 inches long as grown in Thailand, but those grown in California are often up to 2-3/4 inches. They are narrow, pointy and start growing point up, but turn downward as they reach full size. They turn from green to red when ripe, and may be orange in between. They are very hot (H8 to H9), slightly less hot when red ripe, and a little less than that when dried.

Fresno Chili


Fresno Chilis ["Red Jalapeno" (U.S. supermarkets); C. annuum]

This is not a Chinese chili (at least not yet), but it has been chosen by all ethnicities in Southern California as the medium hot fresh red chili suitable for their cuisines. Their hotness is about H4-5. Core and seed them, but leave in the membranes (where the heat is) if you want heat. With the membranes carefully removed they have little heat. They have good flavor, and the walls are quite thick, so they are not dried. For details see our Fresno Chili page.

Serrano Chili


Whole and Cut Green Serranos [C. annuum]

These are not a Chinese chili (yet), but they are now quite popular in Thailand, and will probably spread. They are the go-to for fresh hot green chilis when chilis native to a particular cuisine are not available. They are found in all the Asian markets here in Los Angeles, as well as all other ethnic and non-ethnic markets.

These have more flavor than most hot green chilis - but nobody seems to be complaining. They are fairly hot (about H6), but the heat can be much reduced if necessary, by removing the seed mass and membranes. They are usually used with the seeds in. They can be up to 4.5 inches (11.5 cm) long and 0.8 inch (2 cm) diameter. The flesh is fairly thick, so they are not dried.


Bell Peppers:


Fresh Bell Peppers [Tian Jiao (China); Shimla Mirch (India); Capsicum (British); Bell Peppers (North America); C. annuum]

China is the largest grower and exporter of Bell Peppers in the world, and they have become quite important in Chinese cuisines, particularly in stir fries and for stuffing. In China, Red ones are the most used, but Green are also used. Box shaped to heart shaped, these are up to 5 inches (12.7 cm) across here in California, but may be a bit smaller in some countries. They feature thick, crisp and flavorful flesh with no heat (H0), though occasionally one will be found to have a faint trace of heat. The walls are very thick with a high water content, so they are not dried except industrially for food processors.


Chili Powders & Flake

Note that all these specimens were ground by me in my spice grinder, as commercial flake and powder were imperfectly available. That is how it would be done in Sichuan homes as well, though probably pounded in a mortar.

Erjingtiao Chili Flake


Erjingtiao Chili Flake

[Er Jing Tiao; Two Vitex; C.annuum]

This is a unique chili, with a strong aroma and taste, but with very moderate heat. It is dried and ground to flakes as an ingredient or as a rub or dry dip, for which it is particularly suited, with excellent flavor and distinct, but not overwhelming heat.

Subst: Chili Negro has almost the exact same heat, though is a darker color. It is similarly aromatic, but noticeably sweeter.

Facing Heaven Chili Flake


Facing Heaven Chilis Flake

[Chao Tian Jiaom; C.annuum]

Flavor is a little lighter than the Erjingtiao chili, but it may be even less hot.

Bullet Head Chili Flake


Bullet Head Chili Flake

[Zi Dan Tou; C.annuum]

I have not seen this advertised in North America, but it is an excellent, flavorful, moderately hot flake, so I presume it is ground and used in Sichuan.

Stars-in-the-Sky Powder


Star in the Sky Chili Powder

[Xiao mi la, Man tian xing; C frutescens]

Here we are getting deep into Thai-hot territory. This is used mostly in Yunnan province, which borders Burma, Thailand and Laos. Extremely hot and lingering, about H8.   Subst: Ground dried red Thai Chilis are an excellent substitute. Cayenne would be significantly milder.

Chili Powder


Japone Chili Powder

[Chinese Chili Pepper; Tien Tsin (China); Hontaka, Santaka, (Japan); C. annuum]

China exports vast quantities of Chili Powder marked just Chili Powder, without any indication of type. It is mostly from Japone type chilis or chilis of very similar heat and taste characteristics. The specimen to the left is Japone powder.

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