Feb 12, 2025

Dried Anchovies and Fermented Black Beans Chilies 豆鼓小魚辣椒

There are many types of Chinese chili sauce out there. Some use chili powder, some with chili flakes, also the flavored kinds such as with cilantro or garlic. Chili crisp, the rising star of the chili sauce world, might be one of the most famous varieties known to the western world. 


As for the recipe here, it's commonly found in Taiwan, usually served as a condiment, or locals love to add generous amount of dried anchovies and fermented black beans chilies to noodles.


Dried anchovies and fermented black beans chilies 豆鼓小魚辣椒 - 


Dried anchovies and fermented black beans chilies 豆鼓小魚辣椒


Ingredients?

  • 100 grams fermented black beans 乾豆鼓
  • 2 cups dried anchovies 丁香魚乾
  • 1 bundle red chilies (about 3 cups chopped, I used the less spicy kind)
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon crystal sugar
  • 1/2 cup preferred cooking oil


How?

Rinse the anchovies and pat dry.


Prepping dried anchovies

Peel and chop the garlic cloves. Destem and chop the red chilies. 


Pour 1/2 cup of preferred cooking oil to a pan and switch to medium heat. Once warmed up, add in anchovies and cook till slightly browned, also a bit crunchy to the bite. Scoop out and save for later use.


Cooking dried anchovies

Still using the same remaining oil, add in chopped garlic, chopped chilies, and fermented black beans. Use medium low heat, stir-fry for couple minutes.


Stir-frying chopped garlic, red chilies, and fermented black beans

Season with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of crystal sugar. Mix till blended. Taste and adjust with additional seasonings if needed.


Add back the anchovies and stir-fry for few more minutes. 


Making dried anchovies and fermented black beans chilies

Once ready, transfer to storing containers and wait till cool-off a bit before closing the lid. I prefer to store these chilies in the fridge for longer lasting time. 


Dried anchovies and fermented black beans chilies 豆鼓小魚辣椒

The fermented black beans can be salty already, so I didn't add any salt here, only used some soy sauce mainly for the color.


Dried anchovies and fermented black beans chilies 豆鼓小魚辣椒

If you ever travel to Taiwan, take a closer look of the chili sauce varieties served at small bite stands or local restaurants. Sometimes you'll find chilies just like the one here, another popular variety is chiles with dried radish. 


If you find those, don't be afraid and just take at least one big spoonful to the food you ordered. Usually the chilies used are not as spicy, and they can add much more flavor to the noodles or rice.


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Feb 6, 2025

Japanese Katsuo Tataki Salad with Miso and Ponzu Dressing

Found a premade katsuo tataki at a Japanese grocery store. It's basically a nice piece of boneless bonito fish that's been seared and smoked with straw fire. There's no need to further cook it, simply slice and enjoy, sometimes with other ingredients and dressing to double up the flavors.


I would love to utilize such treasure find for a salad recipe. If you can't get a hold of premade katsuo tataki, I do have an earlier recipe with easier steps for fish tataki. Otherwise, a simple sashimi grade hearty fish would also work here.


Japanese katsuo tataki salad with miso and ponzu dressing - 


Japanese katsuo tataki salad with miso and ponzu dressing


Ingredients (about 2 portions)?

  • 200 grams katsuo tataki
  • 2 loosely packed cups salad greens
  • 1 1/2 loosely packed cups mitsuba leaf
  • 10 cherry tomatoes

Dressing:

  • 1 tablespoon white miso
  • 3 tablespoons ponzu
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds


How?

Mix all the ingredients listed under the "dressing" section and make sure the sugar has been mostly dissolved.


Japanese miso and ponzu dressing

Slice the fish to thick pieces. Two alternatives, you can make the simple tataki from scratch or simply use sashimi grade fish.


Arrange salad greens and mitsuba leaves on serving plates. I love the aroma of mitsuba, otherwise you can use mizuna or even baby arugula as substitutes. 


Arranging salad greens on serving plates

Slice cherry tomatoes in half and arrange on the leafy greens. Arrange fish slices all over.


Plating Japanese salad with katsuo tataki

Pour some dressing on top, simple and easy.


Japanese katsuo tataki salad with miso and ponzu dressing

Talking about the katsuo tataki I've got here, I saw an even fancier variety using Japanese amberjack at a high-end local market. The flesh looked so delicious, but when I checked the price tag, perhaps some other time.


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Feb 1, 2025

Fiery Stuffed Bell Peppers in Asian Sauce 超辣青椒鑲肉

It was meant to be a friendly dish, some ground pork mixture stuffed in juicy bell peppers. Well, the kind of bell peppers I got surely are juicy, but what the vendor didn't tell me was how spicy they were. I was on fire!


So please steer away from the bell peppers looking similar to mine if you can't handle the heat. Ask for sweeter variety, and on the medium or small size too.


Fiery stuffed bell peppers in Asian sauce 超辣青椒鑲肉 - 


Fiery stuffed bell peppers in Asian sauce


Ingredients?

  • 6 to 8 medium small green bell peppers
  • 300 grams ground pork
  • 1 egg
  • 1 stalk scallion
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons preferred cooking oil
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese rice cooking wine
  • 1 tablespoon mirin
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar


How?

Cap the bell peppers of your choice, gentle roll it against the cutting board then pour out the seeds inside. If you can't get all the seeds and piths out, carefully run a dull knife along the inner edge. 


Removing seeds and piths from bell peppers

Destem and chop the scallion. Peel and chop the garlic. Have a bowl ready and add in both chopped scallion and garlic. Also add in the ground pork, 1 beaten egg, 1 tablespoon of corn starch, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Mix till evenly blended.


Ground pork mixture for stuffed bell peppers

Stuff the ground pork mixture inside the bell peppers and make sure not to over-stuff or too forceful, otherwise the bell pepper might break..


You can use something like a piping bag and cut a little opening on the corner, use that to squeeze in the filling.


Spicy bell peppers being stuffed with ground pork mixture

Premix the sauce first by adding 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of Chinese rice cooking wine, 1 tablespoon of mirin, and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar to a bowl. Whisk and make sure most of the sugar has been dissolved.


Drizzle 2 tablespoons of preferred cooking oil to a pan and switch to medium heat. Wait till the surface gets hot then add in stuffed bell peppers. 


Searing stuffed bell peppers

Sear till the bottom turns slightly charred. Move to other sides and sear till slightly colored.


Pour in premixed sauce and swirl the pan a little so all the bell peppers can get evenly coated with the sauce. Bring to a light bubbling stage and cook a bit longer. 


Cooking stuffed bell peppers in Asian sauce

Once the sauce has been reduced a little, transfer to serving plate and drizzle the remaining sauce all over.


Fiery stuffed bell peppers in Asian sauce

If you're working with bigger bell peppers, you might have to cover with lid after adding the sauce. Cook for one or two minutes more to ensure the very center of the stuffing are fully cooked.


Fiery stuffed bell peppers in Asian sauce


Luckily I can take on some heat, it's just that I don't eat as spicy as before. Back then I always order super spicy crispy chicken paired with one big cup of very satisfying boba milk tea. Yes, they actually categorized the spicy level up to the "super spicy" tier, and I was totally ok with it.


However, not these light green and skinny bell peppers though. You probably won't feel much from the first couple bites, but that burning sensation will start crawling from your throat all the way down to the belly soon after.


Next time when I visit that same vegetable stand that sold me these bell peppers, I'll have a good conversation with the uncle there (we often chat a little whenever I go).


Other recipes using bell peppers, friendly bell peppers: