Culinary Suggestion of the Day

Acquire one pound of fresh red chiles through subterfuge or exchange of currency (your choice). When the chiles least expect it, for the element of surprise improves the flavor of any dish, scream and chop them viciously, being careful to remove the stems and bottoms. Keep the seeds. Prior to washing your hands, rub your eyes vigorously to have the complete experience of cooking with red chiles. From the tears of pain that gush down your face, extract 1/4 cup of salt. Mix 3.5 tablespoons of that salt thoroughly with the chiles. Place the mixture in a glass jar and cover with the remaining salt. Seal the jar. Dig a hole in your yard. Now bury that jar for two to three weeks (or keep it in any cool dry place if you prefer). Thereafter, refrigerate the jar. Voila! Zombie like chiles that will last for months in your fridge.

Heat 3 tablespoons of peanut or canola or safflower oil. Cook 1.5 tablespoons of the chiles until fragrant. Then, stir fry anything. Cabbage, chicken, an old leather shoe. Top it off with a tablespoon of sesame oil. There, now you have a simple but authentic Hunanese dish. The secret is, of course, Chopped Salted Chiles. Duo la jiao.