It is a matter of great regret to me that despite working daily with fresh produce, I continue to find the naming conventions, especially when dealing with bilingual issues, eternally confusing. The purchasing of fish is the most notorious example of this endless confusion, when even finding out a name in Mandarin Chinese can be a matter of complex research, as fisherman and market stall owners provide folk names in Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese) that vary from place to place and have no official written form. Trying to match this with common English names, or even scientific Latin designations can be troublesome. In the matter of chilies, which are bursting forth in my garden at the moment, I have encountered similar problems in matching Chinese to English.
I have usually worked on the basis of “small chilies are hotter than big chilies” and taken it from there; bigger, fattier, meatier chili peppers generally tend toward sweetness, and are excellent to subdue the little heat bombs; and squashy, bonnet-shaped chilies should be added only with the greatest care. Green chilies have a hint of sourness that cuts through greasy food beautifully, and yellow peppers are mild with subtle hints of heat. It is all very unscientific, but this has served me well enough as a basis for family cooking.
The chilies that are most abundant in my garden at the moment are often called in Chinese the “facing-up-to-heaven” chilies (朝天椒) for the simple reason that the fruit points upward and does not hang down like fruit is supposed to. I believe that these are a type of capsicum frutescens, a species that includes some well-known cultivars including the piri piri, also known as African Devil or African Bird’s Eye, the Thai pepper, also known as chili padi, Bird’s Eye chili, and the Tabasco chili. This type of chili thrives on heat and humidity, of which there is no shortage in Taiwan at the present time, and so despite considerable neglect, the three or four plants in my garden have been bringing forth hundreds of chili pods without the slightest prompting. Fortunately, these chilies, with their thin layer of flesh and tightly packed seeds, freeze well and can be kept for many months with little damage to their flavor. When needed, they can be quickly chopped (no need to defrost) and thrown into some soy sauce to make a piquant dressing to enhance any rice dish, or combined with finely chopped garlic and ginger, form the basic mirepoix of Chinese stir fry cooking.
Photo: Ian Bartholomew
Adding chili to food is more than just about providing piquancy, and they have some important health benefits that are particularly valuable in a humid climate. Chili peppers contain a substance called capsaicin, which is responsible for the burning sensation of chili when it comes into contact with the skin, and in some cases this can lead to extreme discomfort. In making dishes that use a large quantity of chili such as chili sauce (see recipe), it can be advisable to wear latex gloves to avoid direct contact, and even if you are just chopping up a couple of chilies as part of the cooking, avoid rubbing your eyes, or touching other sensitive areas (for men, taking a pee right after chopping chilies is definitely not to be recommended) until you have washed your hands thoroughly.
This same substance is also believed to provide pain relief and act as an anti-inflammatory, and folk medicine regards it as a good way of countering rashes and other inflammations brought on by a hot and humid climate. Capsaicin is being studied as an effective treatment for sensory nerve fiber disorders, including pain associated with arthritis, psoriasis, and diabetic neuropathy.
Chili is rich in beta-carotene or pro-vitamin A, the latter essential for healthy mucous membranes, which line the nasal passages, lungs, intestinal tract and urinary tract and serve as the body’s first line of defense against invading pathogens. It is a great way to clear congestion in the nose and lungs, helps prevent stomach ulcers by killing bad bacteria, strengthens cardiovascular health, aides weight loss and reduces the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Given the ease of growing and storing “facing-up-to-heaven” chilies, and their benefits for people living in a climate such as Taiwan, a good supply should be part of everybody’s larder.
Of course, chili sauces are available in a wide variety of commercial preparations, some of which have gained international renown, such as Tabasco sauce. On the other hand, I find many brands contain an excess of salt, sugar and other additives, and it is the work of a moment to mix up a batch of chili sauce when I have an over-supply of chili, ensuring I can enjoy the flavor and benefits of chili all the year round.
Recipe
Hainan-style Chicken Rice
This is a simple version of the Singaporean classic and you can even use the stock from cooking the chicken to enrich your chili sauce. I have suggested deseeding the chilies, but if you like a more powerful hit of spice, retain some or all of the seeds.
For the Singapore-style Chili Sauce
Ingredients
120g red chilies (seeded)
60g shallots or onions, peeled
60g garlic, peeled
60g young ginger
12 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
4 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup boiling chicken stock (or water)
Directions
1. Put chilies, shallots, garlic, ginger and stock (or water) in a blender and blitz until fine.
2. Add lemon juice, vinegar, sugar and salt, adjusting quantities to taste.
3. Leave it for at least 1 hour to pickle before serving.
4. Can be stored in a clean jar for a few weeks in the fridge or for a few months in the freezer.
For the Chicken Rice
Ingredients
Two free-range chicken legs
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 clove garlic, minced
A large nub of ginger, smashed
A small nub of ginger, minced
2 scallions, roughly chopped
1 cup white rice
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp sesame oil
Cucumber and cilantro leaves for garnish
Ketjap manis (a sweet soy sauce, also sold as kecup manis. In Taipei it can be found in Indonesian grocery stores.)
Directions
1. Rub the chicken legs with salt and garlic. Set aside for half and hour.
2. Place the chicken leg in a pot of cold water with some smashed ginger and chopped scallions.
3. Over medium heat, bring to an energetic boil and then reduce heat to low and cook at a gentle simmer for 15-30 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken legs. You do not want to overcook the meat, and should aim for an internal temperature of 72 degrees Celsius.
4. Remove from water and place the chicken in a bowl of ice water to cool. This stops the cooking process and is essential for a firm texture and tight skin.
5. Rub with sesame oil and set aside while you cook the rice. Reserve the liquid for preparing the rice and making the chili sauce.
6. In a clean pan, fry the minced ginger and garlic until fragrant. Add the uncooked rice and fry for one minute until well coated. Add one cup of chicken stock. Pour this into your rice cooker and cook as you would normal rice.
7. Once the rice is cooked, chop the chicken leg, place on rice and serve with sliced cucumber and coriander leaves. Don’t forget to add a generous side of homemade chili sauce and the dribble of ketjap manis.
Ian Bartholomew runs Ian’s Table, a small guesthouse in Hualien. He has lived in Taiwan for many years writing about the food scene and has decided that until you look at farming, you know nothing about the food you eat. He can be contacted at Hualien202@gmail.com.
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