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Ba bao la jiang (eight-treasure chilli sauce)
Diced pork, prawns, tofu, bamboo, peanuts and peas in a glossy sweet bean and chilli sauce
ChineseBa bao la jiang, 'eight-treasure chilli sauce', is a Shanghai banquet dish brought out for the Spring Festival, when eight is the luckiest number and eight different 'treasures' in one bowl wish the table eight kinds of good fortune. Diced pork, prawns, pressed tofu, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, peanuts and green peas are cooked separately and brought together in a thick, glossy sauce of sweet bean paste and chilli: sweet first, then gently hot, with every bite a different texture. The classic recipe adds a spoonful of Shaoxing wine; for an alcohol-free version, use the same amount of unsalted stock with a few drops of rice vinegar. Serve with plenty of plain rice. Chef's tip: dice everything to the same 1 cm size so each spoonful catches a bit of every treasure.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the pork and prawns
- 9 oz lean pork loin or legcut into 1 cm dice
- 5 ½ oz raw peeled prawnsdeveined, halved if large
- 2 tsp cornflour
- ¼ tsp salt
For the treasures
- 5 ½ oz pressed or smoked firm tofu (dou gan)cut into 1 cm dice
- 3 ½ oz bamboo shootscut into 1 cm dice
- 4 dried shiitake mushroomssoaked 30 minutes in hot water, diced
- 2 ⅞ oz frozen green peas or edamame
- 2 ⅛ oz roasted unsalted peanutsskins removed
For the sauce
- 3 tbsp neutral oil
- ⅓ oz fresh gingerfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wineor unsalted stock with a few drops of rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ¾ cup chicken stock or water
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
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What you'll need
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Toss 9 oz lean pork loin or leg and 5 ½ oz raw peeled prawns with 2 tsp cornflour and ¼ tsp salt and leave in the fridge for 15 minutes.
15 minStep 2: Heat 1 ½ tbsp neutral oil in a wok over a high heat and stir-fry the pork for 2–3 minutes, until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F. Lift out with a slotted spoon.
3 minStep 3: Add the prawns to the same wok and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, until pink and opaque all the way through. Lift out.
2 minStep 4: Add 1 ½ tbsp neutral oil and stir-fry 5 ½ oz pressed or smoked firm tofu (dou gan), 3 ½ oz bamboo shoots and 4 dried shiitake mushrooms for 3 minutes, until the tofu edges turn golden.
3 minStep 5: Turn the heat to medium, add ⅓ oz fresh ginger, 2 tbsp sweet bean sauce (tian mian jiang) and 1 ½ tbsp chilli bean sauce (la jiang or doubanjiang), and fry for 1 minute until the oil turns red and fragrant. Common mistake: frying the bean pastes over a fierce heat; they scorch in seconds and turn bitter.
1 minStep 6: Pour in 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp sugar and ¾ cup chicken stock or water, add 2 ⅞ oz frozen green peas or edamame and simmer for 3 minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to cling.
4 minStep 7: Return the pork and prawns, stir in 2 ⅛ oz roasted unsalted peanuts and toss for 1 minute until everything is glossy and hot. Drizzle with 1 tsp toasted sesame oil and serve.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ba bao la jiang (eight-treasure chilli sauce) take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of cornflour?
- Arrowroot or potato starch, same amount.
- What can I use instead of dried shiitake mushrooms?
- Aubergine, diced, same weight.
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