The Red Gold of Guizhou: How Zaolajiao Brings Home to Your UK Kitchen | 贵州红金：糟辣椒如何把家乡带到你的英国厨房
The first time I opened a jar of zaolajiao in my London flat, the smell transported me back to my grandmother's kitchen in Guizhou. That unmistakable aroma of fermented chilies, salt, and time itself—it's the scent of home.
第一次在伦敦的公寓里打开一罐糟辣椒，那股味道瞬间把我带回了贵州奶奶的厨房。那种无法形容的发酵辣椒、盐和时间本身的香气——那就是家的味道。
In the mountainous province of Guizhou, where mist clings to terraced fields and rain falls more days than not, zaolajiao is not just a condiment. It's a survival strategy, a culinary philosophy, and a thread that connects generations. Every household has its own jar, sitting in a cool corner, aging slowly, developing complexity with each passing month.
在云雾缭绕的贵州山区，梯田上常年笼罩着雾气，雨水比晴天更多，糟辣椒不仅仅是一种调味品。它是一种生存策略，一种烹饪哲学，一条连接代际的纽带。每个家庭都有自己的那罐糟辣椒，放在阴凉的角落，慢慢陈化，随着每个月的流逝变得更加复杂醇厚。
The Ancient Craft of Preservation
Making zaolajiao is an autumn ritual. When the last crop of red chilies ripens, families gather to prepare their year's supply. My grandmother would wake before dawn, spreading fresh chilies on bamboo mats to dry in whatever sunshine Guizhou's cloudy skies would offer. The chilies need to be partially dried—not too wet, which causes spoilage, and not too dry, which loses the fermentation potential.
制作糟辣椒是秋天的仪式。当最后一茬红辣椒成熟时，家家户户都会聚在一起准备一年的供应。奶奶会在天亮前起床，把新鲜辣椒铺在竹席上，晒贵州多云天空下难得的阳光。辣椒需要半干——不能太湿，容易腐败，也不能太干，失去发酵的潜力。
The process is deceptively simple: fresh red chilies, garlic, ginger, salt, and baijiu (white spirit). But the magic lies in the proportions, the chopping technique, and most importantly, the patience. The chilies are coarsely chopped, not minced—each piece retains some texture. Garlic and ginger are crushed to release their oils. Salt is measured carefully; too little and it spoils, too much and it never develops that tangy, umami depth.
制作过程看似简单：新鲜红辣椒、蒜、姜、盐和白酒。但魔力在于比例、切割技巧，最重要的是耐心。辣椒要粗切，不是剁碎——每一块都保留一些质感。大蒜和姜要拍碎释放油分。盐要仔细称量；太少会变质，太多则永远发酵不出那种酸爽鲜美的深度。
Then comes the aging. The mixture goes into earthenware jars, sealed with oil and covered with cloth. For the first week, you open it daily to stir, releasing gases, preventing mold. After that, you wait. Two weeks minimum, but the best zaolajiao ages for months. The flavors meld, the chilies soften, and that characteristic funky tanginess develops—a flavor that's simultaneously spicy, salty, sour, and deeply savory.
然后是陈化。混合物装进陶罐，用油密封，盖上布。头一周，你每天打开搅拌，释放气体，防止霉菌。之后，你等待。最少两周，但最好的糟辣椒要陈化数月。味道融合，辣椒变软，那种特有的酸爽味道逐渐形成——一种同时辣、咸、酸、深鲜的味道。
More Than a Condiment: The Soul of Guizhou Cuisine
In Guizhou kitchens, zaolajiao is the foundation. It's what you reach for first when the wok heats up. Unlike fresh chilies that scream their spiciness, or dried chilies that offer smokiness, zaolajiao brings a complex heat that builds slowly and lingers pleasantly. The fermentation adds glutamates—natural MSG—that make everything taste more of itself.
在贵州的厨房里，糟辣椒是基础。当炒锅热起来时，你首先伸手去拿的就是它。不像新鲜辣椒那样直冲的辣，也不像干辣椒那样烟熏味，糟辣椒带来的是一种复杂的、慢慢积累的、令人愉悦的辣味。发酵增加了谷氨酸——天然的味精——让所有东西尝起来都更加本味。
My uncle's restaurant in Guiyang uses zaolajiao in nearly every dish. Suancai fish? A spoonful of zaolajiao. Stir-fried pork? It's the base. Even vegetable dishes get a touch. He keeps three jars aging at different stages: young (2 months) for bright heat, middle-aged (6 months) for daily cooking, and elderly (over a year) for special dishes where depth matters more than punch.
我叔叔在贵阳的餐馆几乎每道菜都用糟辣椒。酸菜鱼？一勺糟辣椒。炒肉？它就是底料。连蔬菜菜肴都要加一点。他保存着三罐不同陈化阶段的糟辣椒：嫩的（2个月）用于明亮的辣味，中年的（6个月）用于日常烹饪，老的（一年以上）用于深度比冲击更重要的特殊菜肴。
The iconic dish—the one that defines zaolajiao's place in Guizhou culture—is simply called "zaolajiao charou," fermented chili stir-fried pork. It's what mothers make when their children return from far away. It's what you crave when homesickness strikes. Three ingredients: pork belly sliced thin, zaolajiao, and maybe a bit of garlic. That's it. The pork fat renders, mixing with the chili oil, creating a sauce that clings to each piece of meat. The fermented funk cuts through the richness. The heat warms from within.
标志性的菜肴——定义糟辣椒在贵州文化中地位的菜——就叫"糟辣椒炒肉"。这是母亲们在孩子从远方归来时做的菜。这是你思乡时渴望的味道。三种食材：薄切的五花肉、糟辣椒，也许再加一点蒜。就这些。猪肉的油脂融化，与辣椒油混合，形成紧紧裹住每块肉的酱汁。发酵的酸味切穿油腻。热量从内而外温暖身心。
The Jar That Travels Across Oceans
When I moved to the UK, I brought two things: my grandmother's wok and a jar of her zaolajiao. The wok has a story—it's been in the family for forty years, its surface blackened and seasoned. But the zaolajiao was the real treasure. She made it specifically for me, aging it for eight months before I left, adding extra garlic because she knew I loved garlic, and sealing it with enough oil to survive the journey.
当我搬到英国时，我带了两样东西：奶奶的炒锅和一罐她做的糟辣椒。炒锅有故事——它在家里用了四十年，表面又黑又油润。但糟辣椒才是真正的宝藏。她专门为我做的，在我离开前陈化了八个月，加了额外的蒜因为她知道我爱吃蒜，用足够的油密封以承受旅程。
That first winter in London, gray and damp and nothing like home, I opened that jar. The smell filled my tiny kitchen. I made the simplest version of zaolajiao charou I could manage with British ingredients: Sainsbury's pork belly, her zaolajiao, and a bit of spring onion. It wasn't perfect—the pork was fattier than back home, the heat different—but when I took the first bite, tears came. It tasted like home.
在伦敦的第一个冬天，灰暗潮湿，完全不像家乡，我打开了那罐糟辣椒。香味充满了我的小厨房。我用英国食材做了最简单版本的糟辣椒炒肉：Sainsbury's的五花肉、她的糟辣椒，还有一点葱。并不完美——猪肉比家乡的更肥，火力也不同——但当我咬第一口时，眼泪流了下来。那是家的味道。
Bringing Zaolajiao to Your UK Kitchen
Here's what I've learned about making zaolajiao charou work in British kitchens. First, the pork. British pork belly is excellent, but cut it thin—2-3mm slices. If your butcher looks confused, ask for "very thin bacon-cut but from pork belly." Or buy a piece and freeze it for 30 minutes, then slice it yourself with a sharp knife. The slight freeze makes thin slicing easier.
这是我在英国厨房里做糟辣椒炒肉的经验。首先是猪肉。英国的五花肉很好，但要切薄——2-3毫米的片。如果你的屠夫看起来困惑，就说"像培根那样薄但要用五花肉部位"。或者买一块，冷冻30分钟，然后自己用锋利的刀切。稍微冷冻会让薄切更容易。
Heat matters. British electric hobs are weak compared to Chinese gas burners. Turn yours to maximum and be patient—let the wok get properly hot. A properly heated wok means the pork sears rather than steams. If you have a gas hob, you're lucky; use it at full blast.
火力很重要。英国的电炉比中国的燃气灶弱得多。把你的开到最大，耐心等待——让炒锅真正热起来。正确加热的炒锅意味着猪肉是煎而不是蒸。如果你有燃气灶，你很幸运；全力使用它。
The cooking is fast: Heat wok until smoking. Add a tiny bit of oil (the pork will release its own). Add pork slices in a single layer. Don't touch them for 30 seconds—let them sear. Flip once, sear the other side. Now add zaolajiao—2-3 tablespoons for 300g pork. Stir quickly. The chili oil from the zaolajiao will mix with the pork fat. Add crushed garlic if you like. Toss for 1 minute. Done.
烹饪很快：炒锅加热至冒烟。加一点点油（猪肉会释放自己的油）。单层放入猪肉片。30秒不要动——让它们煎。翻一次面，煎另一面。现在加糟辣椒——300克猪肉配2-3汤匙。快速翻炒。糟辣椒的辣椒油会与猪油混合。如果你喜欢可以加拍碎的蒜。翻炒1分钟。完成。
Serve it with plain rice. The sauce is rich and intensely flavored; you need the rice to balance it. A simple stir-fried vegetable on the side—bok choy, broccoli, green beans—provides freshness. And maybe a light soup. This is how we eat it at home.
配白米饭吃。酱汁浓郁味道强烈；你需要米饭来平衡它。旁边配一个简单的炒蔬菜——小白菜、西兰花、四季豆——提供清爽感。也许再来一碗清汤。这就是我们在家的吃法。
Finding Your Zaolajiao
You can find commercial zaolajiao in Chinese supermarkets across the UK—London's Chinatown, Birmingham, Manchester, anywhere with a decent Chinese community. Look for brands from Guizhou or Hunan (Hunanese fermented chilies are similar). The jar should show visible texture, not smooth paste. Good zaolajiao is coarsely chopped and shows separation of solids and oil.
你可以在英国各地的中国超市找到商业糟辣椒——伦敦唐人街、伯明翰、曼彻斯特，任何有不错华人社区的地方。寻找来自贵州或湖南的品牌（湖南的发酵辣椒类似）。罐子里应该显示可见的质地，不是光滑的糊状。好的糟辣椒是粗切的，显示出固体和油的分离。
Or make your own. British chilies are milder than Chinese ones, so you might need more. Use red jalapeños or Fresno chilies from good grocers, or even red bell peppers mixed with bird's eye chilies for heat. Follow the traditional method: chop coarsely, mix with salt (20g per 500g chilies), crushed garlic, ginger, and a splash of vodka (stands in for baijiu). Age for at least three weeks in a clean jar, stirring daily for the first week.
或者自己做。英国的辣椒比中国的温和，所以你可能需要更多。用好超市的红jalapeño或Fresno辣椒，甚至用红甜椒混合小米椒增加辣度。遵循传统方法：粗切，与盐混合（每500克辣椒20克盐）、拍碎的蒜、姜和一点伏特加（代替白酒）。在干净的罐子里陈化至少三周，第一周每天搅拌。
The beauty is that once you have zaolajiao, you have the key to dozens of dishes. Stir-fry it with anything: beef, chicken, tofu, eggplant, potatoes. Add it to scrambled eggs. Mix it into noodle soups. Use it as a dipping sauce for dumplings. Every application brings that distinctive Guizhou flavor—complex, warming, addictive.
美妙之处在于一旦你有了糟辣椒，你就有了数十道菜的钥匙。和任何东西一起炒：牛肉、鸡肉、豆腐、茄子、土豆。加到炒鸡蛋里。拌进面汤里。用作饺子蘸料。每种应用都带来那种独特的贵州风味——复杂、温暖、令人上瘾。
Keeping the Tradition Alive
My grandmother is eighty-three now. She still makes zaolajiao every autumn, though her children help with the chopping. When I visit, she gives me a fresh jar. When I can't visit, my mother ships one over. The jars arrive wrapped in layers of bubble wrap, traveling from Guizhou's misty mountains to London's streets.
奶奶现在八十三岁了。她仍然每年秋天做糟辣椒，虽然孩子们帮忙切。当我回去时，她给我一罐新鲜的。当我不能回去时，我妈妈寄一罐过来。罐子到达时裹着层层气泡膜，从贵州的云雾山区旅行到伦敦的街道。
Each jar is a connection. When I open one in my London kitchen, when that smell rises up, I'm not just cooking dinner. I'm participating in a tradition that stretches back centuries. I'm keeping my grandmother's craft alive. I'm teaching my British friends what Guizhou tastes like. And on gray British evenings when homesickness feels heavy, I make zaolajiao charou, and for those few minutes at the stove, the wok hissing and the chilies blooming in hot oil, I'm home again.
每一罐都是一种连接。当我在伦敦的厨房打开一罐时，当那股香味升起时，我不仅仅是在做晚饭。我在参与一个延续了几个世纪的传统。我在保持奶奶的手艺。我在教我的英国朋友贵州是什么味道。在灰暗的英国夜晚，当乡愁感觉沉重时，我做糟辣椒炒肉，在炉边的那几分钟，炒锅嘶嘶作响，辣椒在热油中绽放，我又回家了。
This is what we mean when we call zaolajiao "red gold." It's not just the color or the rarity. It's the alchemy of time and tradition, the way simple ingredients become something invaluable. In Guizhou, every family's jar tastes slightly different—different aging times, different proportions, different hands making it. But all share that fundamental character: the heat that warms rather than burns, the funk that intrigues rather than offends, the depth that only fermentation can bring.
这就是我们称糟辣椒为"红金"的原因。不仅仅是颜色或稀有性。这是时间和传统的炼金术，简单食材变成无价之宝的方式。在贵州，每个家庭的罐子味道都略有不同——不同的陈化时间，不同的比例，不同的手在做。但所有都分享那个基本特质：温暖而不灼烧的热，吸引而不冒犯的酸香，只有发酵才能带来的深度。
In your UK kitchen, with British ingredients and perhaps a jar from a Chinese supermarket, you can create that same magic. The zaolajiao charou you make won't taste exactly like my grandmother's—how could it? But it will have that spirit. That red gold shine. That taste of home, wherever home may be.
在你的英国厨房里，用英国食材，也许还有中国超市买来的一罐糟辣椒，你可以创造同样的魔力。你做的糟辣椒炒肉尝起来不会和我奶奶的完全一样——怎么可能呢？但它会有那种精神。那种红金般的光泽。那种家的味道，无论家在哪里。
Discover authentic Guizhou flavors and bring home to your UK kitchen.
在英国发现正宗贵州风味，把家乡味道带进你的厨房。
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