Xinjiang Zong Jiao Wrinkled Chili

Xinjiang Zong Jiao Wrinkled ChiliChina is the largest producer and consumer of chilies in the world, and while Guizhou Province is the top producer in the country, the Gobi Desert of Xinjiang is also, surprisingly, a major grower of chilies. The Turkic Uyghur people of Xinjiang got a taste for chilies centuries ago as they were traded along the Silk Road, incorporating them into their cuisine and even adapting them for local cultivation. While they grow many varieties for trade,

meaning they retain a small percentage of seeds

the oil is filtered through a patented technology that uses natural plant fibers for 36 layers of physical filtration to remove any impurities

While most varieties of Sichuan pepper and its cousins grown throughout Asia have small seed pods that don't fully open and often retain their seeds

zi dan tou

'Ma' refers to the tingly

This stainless-steel "yin-yang" hotpot is custom made for The Mala Market in Sichuan

is the major producer of Zhenjiang vinegar

While used less frequently in Sichuan cuisine

some using more than five spices

Source: Grown in Qingxi village

and today's food in Xi'an

Add the sauce