House Special Pickled Pepper Frog (Pao Jiao Tian Ji)
独家秘制 · 泡椒田鸡! · sichuan cuisine · Sichuan
A home-style Sichuan-style dish built on pickled peppers (pao jiao) and yellow lantern chili paste for a sour, salty, spicy broth. The author notes you can also add wood ear mushrooms, celtuce, or other vegetables to taste.
Roy DelgadoWeekend backyard smoker guy from San Antonio. Brisket is my love language. Still chasing that perfect bark and happy to share my failures too.Nutrition & allergens
Contains:Sesame
Some ingredients are not yet allergen-surveyed; this label is not exhaustive.
Per serving (4 servings)
- Energy (kcal)
- Unknown
- Protein (g)
- Unknown
- Fat (g)
- Unknown
- Carbs (g)
- Unknown
- Sodium (mg)
- Unknown
Estimated from verified ingredient data for the original formula — not lab values, and one dish is not a full meal.
Hot sauce辣椒酱
as needed
as needed
bell pepper灯笼椒
as needed
as needed
as needed
dried bean curd sticks (rehydrated / tofu skin sticks)腐竹（泡发）
as needed
scallion葱花
as needed
as needed
salt盐
as needed
as needed
mSG味精
as needed
as needed
Techniques you'll use
- Marinating ↗
Season protein ahead with soy, wine, and starch for flavor and texture.
- Aromatic blooming (bao xiang) ↗
Bloom ginger, garlic, and chili in hot oil to build the aroma base.
- Simmering (dun) ↗
Gentle low-heat cooking in liquid until flavors merge and meat softens.
Steps
- 1
Step 1
Cut the bell peppers in half and cut the scallions into sections; set aside.
✅ Done when: Peppers are halved and scallions are cut into sections and set aside.
- 2
Step 230 min
Cut the bean curd sticks (fu zhu) into sections and soak them in water; set aside. Cut the daikon radish into sections, place in a bowl, add white vinegar and water (2:1) plus salt to taste, and pickle for 30 minutes.
✅ Done when: The radish has pickled for 30 minutes and the bean curd sticks are softened in water.
Cut the frog meat into chunks and place in a bowl. Add 2-4 spoonfuls of salt, 1 tablespoon of Shaoxing wine, white pepper to taste, and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Mix well by hand and let marinate for about 15 minutes.
✅ Done when: The frog pieces are evenly coated and have marinated for about 15 minutes.
Heat oil in a wok, add garlic and scallion heads and stir-fry until fragrant. Add 2 tablespoons of yellow lantern chili paste (adjust to taste) and stir to combine, then add pickled peppers to taste. Add the pickled daikon and some of its pickling liquid (salty and sour), then add water to cover and bring to a boil.
✅ Done when: The aromas are fragrant, the chili paste is evenly mixed in, and the broth has come to a boil.
Once the broth is boiling, add the marinated frog pieces evenly into the pot. Do not stir after adding, so the cornstarch coating does not cloud the broth. Cover with a lid. (If you don't mind the extra oil, you can flash-fry the frog in hot oil first for a better result.)
✅ Done when: All frog pieces are in the pot, unstirred, and the lid is on.
Once the pot returns to a boil, gently turn the frog pieces so they cook evenly. Taste the broth — the pickling liquid is already salty and sour, but if you prefer, add more salt; this dish is best on the boldly seasoned side (salty, sour, and spicy). Finally add the bean curd sticks and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes.
✅ Done when: The broth is boiling and the bean curd sticks have cooked for 2-3 minutes.
- 7
Step 7
Taste and adjust with MSG, then transfer to a serving dish.
✅ Done when: The seasoning is to taste and the dish is plated.
Heat oil in the pan, then turn off the heat. Add the bell peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, stir-fry quickly for a few seconds, then pour into a bowl.
✅ Done when: The chilies are briefly fragrant after a few quick stirs in the hot oil.
- 9
Step 9
Finally, scatter scallion sections and toasted sesame seeds on top as garnish. This hot-and-sour pickled pepper frog is ready to serve.
✅ Done when: Scallions and sesame seeds are scattered over the finished dish.