Seven Sisters of Spice

Seven Sisters of Spice

　　The “Seven Spices” refer to scorched chili, oil chili, spicy fermented black beans, spicy bean paste, broad bean paste, spicy preserved tofu, and spicy meat. “Seven sisters, seven blossoms, blooming on Xiangyun Mountain and the plains, each flower a different hue brightening every home.” This describes the “Seven Sisters of Spice.”

　　Scorched chili is all about the charring. Thoroughly dried chilies are slowly roasted over a low flame until charred through, then crushed and mixed with warm water, salt, MSG, mashed garlic, minced scallions, and Sichuan peppercorn oil to make a dipping sauce. It’s used for dipping ribs, sliced meat, and especially vegetarian side dishes, winning praise for its pure, uncontaminated aroma and clean spiciness. Oil chili is made by deep-frying powdered chili in intense heat. The most crucial part of the process is controlling the heat—too low, and the oil chili turns red but acrid; too high, and it becomes burnt and bitter. Only the right heat yields a golden color and fragrant aroma. Spicy fermented black beans are made from moldy soybean residue mixed with powdered chili, shaped into small biscuit-like pieces, dried, and then pan-fried in vegetable oil. The combination of oil fragrance, bean aroma, chili heat, plus the crispy texture, makes it incredibly mouthwatering. Particularly in the eastern mountainous regions, the Yi people enjoy it with strong liquor—eating it steaming hot keeps the bitter cold of winter at bay.

　　Spicy bean paste, spicy preserved tofu, broad bean paste, and spicy meat all follow similar preparation methods—they are mixed with other ingredients, then stored in earthenware jars for long-term preservation before being opened and eaten. However, because their ingredients vary, each has a unique flavor. Spicy bean paste uses high-quality fresh chilies and premium soy sauce, stored in jars and pickled for seven to eight months until the chilies turn glossy black, ready to eat. Its flavor combines the saltiness of Sichuan with the spice of Yunnan, offering a deliciously salty and spicy taste. Broad bean paste mainly uses fried soybeans as the main ingredient. The soybeans are mixed with powdered chili and sweet fermented rice wine, then stored in jars until the beans and chili powder turn deep red with a hint of purple, making them ready for the table. This flavor is usually prepared and stored in autumn, then opened in early summer, making it an ideal food for farmers in Xiangyun to relieve fatigue during the hot, busy farming season. Spicy preserved tofu is made by mixing dried stinky tofu with rice wine, powdered chili, and shredded ginger, then storing it in a jar—the result is rich, fragrant, and spicy with a lingering aftertaste. The leaf-wrapped version is especially prized. Thick vegetable leaves are first oiled, then used to wrap the spicy tofu mixture before being placed in a jar. These are charmingly called “little vegetable babies,” and just hearing the name stirs the appetite. Spicy meat sets itself apart in the “Seven Sisters of Spice” with its unique ingredients. Finely chopped pig bones, intestines, stomachs, and pig head meat are mixed with liquor, ginger, and chili powder, then aged in a jar for years. When opened, the jar is full of glistening oil. Steamed, it becomes crumbly like cake, hence earning the lovely nickname “spicy cake.”