Dried chiles
干辣椒· gan la jiao
spice
Taste & Role
They are the backbone of Sichuan and Hunan cooking: bloomed in hot oil to perfume a dish, simmered in braises and hot pot, or flash-fried until fragrant in classics like Kung Pao chicken. Whole chilies contribute color and aroma more than intense heat, while chopped or ground versions build the fire in chili oil, sauces, and spice blends.
What it is
Whole dried chilies are snipped in half, seeds shaken out (for less heat), and fried in oil until they darken and perfume the oil. This is the first step of Kung Pao and most Sichuan stir-fries. They also steep in vinegar for dipping sauces.
Nutrition
per 100 g- Calories
- 324 kcal
- Protein
- 10.6 g
- Total fat
- 5.81 g
- Carbs
- 69.9 g
- Fiber
- 28.7 g
- Sodium
- 91 mg
USDA FoodData Central (closest standard match)
Substitutes
No registered substitutes — this one is usually easy to find.
Recipes using it
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