Spicy Preserved Radish Sauce (La Jiao Cai Pu)
Chef James shares his homemade spicy preserved radish sauce, blending large red chilies with Thai bird's eye chilies for a rich, aromatic flavor with a moderate heat level. The addition of minced garlic, preserved mustard greens (dongcai), preserved radish (cai pu), and cilantro adds wonderful complexity. Finishing with a splash of rice wine adds fragrance and helps with preservation, making this the perfect topping for rice.
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🍳 Cooking Flow
Cut the large red chilies and bird's eye chilies into segments and process until finely chopped; mix according to the ratio. → Heat the oil in a pan and stir-fry half of the chili mixture to release the aroma. → Mix the remaining half of the chilies with salt and sugar until moisture is released, then add to the pan along with minced garlic. → Add Korean chili powder, preserved mustard greens, preserved radish, and chopped cilantro, then bring to a boil. → Drizzle with rice wine before removing from heat to intensify the aroma, let cool completely, and store in a jar in the refrigerator.
Cooking Steps
Brief Cooking Order
Cut the large red chilies and bird's eye chilies into segments and process until finely chopped; mix according to the ratio. → Heat the oil in a pan and stir-fry half of the chili mixture to release the aroma. → Mix the remaining half of the chilies with salt and sugar until moisture is released, then add to the pan along with minced garlic. → Add Korean chili powder, preserved mustard greens, preserved radish, and chopped cilantro, then bring to a boil. → Drizzle with rice wine before removing from heat to intensify the aroma, let cool completely, and store in a jar in the refrigerator.
Introduction
Chef James shares his homemade spicy preserved radish sauce, blending large red chilies with Thai bird's eye chilies for a rich, aromatic flavor with a moderate heat level. The addition of minced garlic, preserved mustard greens (dongcai), preserved radish (cai pu), and cilantro adds wonderful complexity. Finishing with a splash of rice wine adds fragrance and helps with preservation, making this the perfect topping for rice.
Step 1
Cut large red chilies into segments and process in a food processor until chopped; set aside.
Step 2
Cut bird's eye chilies into segments and process in a food processor, then combine with the large chili mash at a ratio of 2 parts bird's eye to 3 parts large chili (use 1:1 for more heat).
Step 3
Heat vegetable oil and sesame oil in a pan, add half of the chili mixture, and stir-fry until aromatic.
Step 4
In a separate bowl, mix the remaining half of the chili mash with salt and sugar, using the moisture released from the chilies to dissolve the seasonings.
Step 5
Add the seasoned chili mixture and minced garlic into the pan and stir-fry together.
Ingredients List
Important Notes
💡 The chili ratio can be adjusted to your preference. James recommends a 2:3 ratio of bird's eye to large red chilies; for more heat, adjust to 1:1.
⚠️ Salt and sugar should not be added directly to hot oil as they will not dissolve easily. Mix them with the raw chili mash first to allow the chili moisture to dissolve them before cooking.
🔥 Using a generous amount of oil helps extract the flavors and aromas from the chilies and ingredients.
✨ Adding rice wine at the end not only adds fragrance but the evaporating alcohol helps in preserving the sauce.
⚠️ Make sure the sauce is completely cooled before storing it in a clean, airtight container to prevent moisture from causing spoilage.
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