Dry Chili Dipping Bowl (Gān Dié)

干碟

Dry Chili Dipping Bowl (Gān Dié) — SichuanChongqing home cooking.

Ingredients

• Sichuan chili flakes (coarse, not powder)
• Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and ground
• roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely crushed
• fine sea salt
• white pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

1. In a dry wok or skillet over medium heat, toast Sichuan chili flakes for 1 minute—stir constantly until fragrant and deepening in color. (Flakes darken from brick-red to burnt-orange; no smoking or blackening)
2. Immediately transfer toasted chili flakes to a plate to cool—this stops cooking and preserves volatile oils. (Flakes retain glossy sheen; steam rises visibly)
3. In same wok (off heat), toast Sichuan peppercorns for 45 seconds until aromatic, then transfer to cool separately. (Peppercorns puff slightly and emit visible vapor)
4. Grind toasted chili flakes and Sichuan peppercorns together in a mortar or spice grinder until coarse—like cracked black pepper. (Rust-red mixture with flecks of gray-brown peppercorn husk)
5. In a bowl, combine ground chili-peppercorn mix, crushed peanuts, fine sea salt, and freshly ground white pepper. Stir once with a spoon—do not overmix. (Speckled rust-and-cream mixture with visible peanut bits)