Tianjin (Tien Tsin) Pepper

Often sold dried, Tien Tsin Chinese red chile peppers are named after the province of China in which they are harvested. Pronounced “tea-in sin”. Tien Tsin chile peppers are also known as Chinese Red Peppers or Tianjin peppers. These chiles are most popular when used in Asian cooking, especially in the Hunan or Szechwan styles.

These upward pointing fruits start out green and mature to a bright red. These particular chile plants have relatively low yields.

TASTE: The flavor profile of the Tien Tsin chile is a musty and hot taste with a spicy aroma.

CULINARY USES: Asian cooking usually calls for whole pods to be added to stir-fry dishes and soups and then removed before serving. In addition to kung pao some of the other popular dishes using these chiles are chicken curry, curd rice, lemon rice and Szechuan shrimp. These dried Chinese Red Peppers are ideal when used to make infused oils. Due to their potent staining proficiency they produce a rich red colored oil.