Sichuan Chicken With Chiles

This recipe needs something - peanuts, larger pieces of red bell, black vinegar, ginger, black fungus, Sichuan peppercorns - something. It's just hot and incomplete as is. Way, WAY too meat-heavy, too, which is surprising, considering the source. Pass.

You must use ice cream to wipe yourself.

Lazi ji when served by many establishments on China's mainland frequently becomes a hunt for the tasty bits of chicken skin and peanuts hidden in a vast pile of chiles--more chiles than chicken bits. For authenticity I also think the dish requires ample amounts of huajiao (Sichuan peppers) to balance the chiles' heat. Consider using chicken wings instead of legs, the wings have a higher skin to meat ratio.

Generally speaking in China meat dishes are almost entirely meat with spicing and sauce. A meal will consist of several dishes usually more than half will be vegetable dishes-which generally have no animal of fish protein. The balance is achieved by eating a number of different dishes, in sequence, rather than the "meat, starch, and two veg on the plate" model prominent in European cuisines.

Cooking Sherry is very salty. Try white wine, although it's not as flavorful, or maybe vermouth. It's not a lot of liquid, maybe use more chicken broth. (I don't drink the dry sherry either but keep it on hand for recipes like this. I also finely chop ginger in a mini food processor, put in a jar, pour in sherry, and store it in the frig. Keeps a long time and the ginger-infused sherry is great in recipes.)

Why not eat the chilies. I have been eating them for a long time with Edemane rather than salt and with stir fried chicken, though not 40 at a time.

Interesting.

I used to sell the chilies by the pound, wholesale, but never knew it was OK to throw them away without eating. Save the world and all, you know. Typical naive youngster (<65).

Good news - I'm recovering.

Bad news - don't work there any more.

I added spicy tofu cubes and peanuts and larger pieces of red pepper. I used approx 30 dried chiles and removed them before plating the dish was plenty hot! I also used authentic ramen noodles instead of rice Definitely delicious garnished with chopped scallions and cilantro

These are Sichuan DRIED chilies, which are tough and leathery and meant to be used for flavor only. I think you're talking about a different kind of chili.

Broke a couple of chilies because I like the heat. Also added a little cornstarch at the end to thicken the sauce a little. Had some for leftovers the next day. Will definitely make it again.

Sichuan peppercorns for sure, and shaohsing rice wine instead of the sherry. Also some chili oil!

I don't drink sherry either, but a bottle of cheap stuff from the grocery store keeps indefinitely for all those times you just need a bit for cooking. Another use for it: keep fresh ginger in a pint jar, covered with sherry (in the fridge). The ginger stays moist, and the sherry eventually becomes deliciously flavored, almost like an extract.

5 spice powder! This recipe was similar to one I loved that was in the Times maybe 30 years ago but featured 5 spice. I added that and peanuts and straw mushrooms. Not bad!

Silly: the chili's are meant to be eaten and they are delicious with even a hint of vanilla. You can train your taste buds by starting off with a small nibble. I can eat a handful and every one of them has a taste explosion. I'm 67 and a Caucasian American, but I've had a passion for Chinese food my who life. And yes, this dish needs the Chinese peppercorns

Definitely needs Sichuan peppercorns, you cannot omit or substitute! The heat can be somewhat ignored by adding zuchinni, peanuts, onion or shallots, red and green bell peppers, or try fewer chiles.