Deep-fried facing-heaven chilies

Deep-fried facing-heaven chilies

　　Guizhou cuisine belongs to the Sichuan culinary family, with spiciness as its hallmark — nearly every dish features chili as a key seasoning. Yet even within this shared love for heat, the three provinces famed for their spicy food each have their own distinct style.

　　Sichuan is known for its numbing-spicy flavor, Hunan for its dry heat, while Guizhou offers true, unadulterated spice. Facing-heaven chilies, half a foot long, slender with pointed tips resembling fingers, are fried in oil until they turn dark red. Once served at the table, they’re meant to be eaten straight. I, trembling with trepidation, managed only half a chili before coughing violently — my tongue was so scorched I could barely eat the meal. It took several gulps of tea just to recover. With that lesson learned, “go easy on the chili” has become an essential phrase whenever I step into a small eatery. Guiyang sees rain or overcast skies for roughly 300 days a year out of 360, which is why it’s nicknamed “Guiyang” (literally “Yang City”). The persistently cloudy weather increases air humidity, making joints prone to discomfort — eating spicy food helps dispel dampness and cold.