Pickled Pepper Baby Squid

Pickled Pepper Baby Squid

　　Chengdu: Pickled Pepper Baby Squid

　　An author once described Sichuan-style seafood like this: ever since seafood “defected” to Sichuan cuisine, it seems to have enjoyed a second springtime of glory—one stellar example being pickled pepper baby squid.

　　This dish relies entirely on Sichuan’s pickled chili peppers (a.k.a. bullet chilies), which must be bright red in color, large in size, and thick-fleshed, and the pickling process needs to be just right. The final dish has a striking contrast of red and white that’s pleasing to the eye. The flavor of the pickled peppers fully infuses the baby squid, with a hint of sweet aftertaste.