The congee-side plate I make when the dougan block and the green pepper are both in the kitchen is this one – green pepper and dougan, and this home cook’s version builds it on pickled ginger and split chilies, with a note that the salt should be light because the pickle carries it. A home cook wrote it in nine steps with the camera-honesty in the eighth: no filter, straight from the phone. I made it as written, and it is the savory, peppery plate that is made for congee.

Qing jiao chao dou gan (青椒炒豆干) is green pepper and dougan – pressed tofu blocks tossed with green pepper, garlic-scape, and split chilies over pickled ginger and garlic, seasoned with light and dark soy and a light hand of salt.

What Is Green Pepper and Dougan?

This is the Sichuan-side plate: chilies are halved lengthwise because it brings out more flavor – the recipe’s note – the white of the garlic is flattened and bias-cut, the garlic crushed, and the ginger cut in shreds, with the green pepper seeded and chunked. Oil blooms the garlic, pickled ginger, and halved chilies; the dougan goes in with a little light and dark soy for a few tosses; the green pepper and garlic white follow, salted lightly – the pickle is already salty – and a little garlic-scape green and chicken powder finish it.

For the dried-sheet pepper stir of the same name, my green pepper and dried tofu uses the sheet instead of the block.

Why This Recipe Works

[“
• The halved chilies. Split lengthwise – more flavor, the recipe’s note.

“, ‘

• Pickled ginger and garlic first. The aromatic base.

‘, ‘

• Dougan with soy, a few tosses. Color before the pepper.

‘, ‘

• Salt lightly. The pickle already carries it.

‘, “

• Salt makes the pepper cook fast. The recipe’s trick in a line.

“]

Equipment Needed

• A wok
• A spatula

Ingredients

• 2 blocks of dougan (pressed tofu block)
• 2 green peppers, seeded and chunked
• 1 tbsp pickled ginger in shreds, garlic, and split chilies
• A few garlic-scape greens
• 1 tbsp light soy, a little dark soy, salt, and chicken powder

Ingredient Notes

Dougan: The pressed block. My Youxian-style spiced dried tofu is the smoked version. Pickled ginger: The Sichuan base – and the salt. Green pepper: Seeded, chunked, quick.

Prep & Mise en Place

Halve the chilies; flatten and slice the garlic; shred the pickled ginger; seed the peppers.

Cooking Process

Step 1 – Halve the small chilies lengthwise – it brings out more

Halve the small chilies lengthwise – it brings out more flavor.

Step 2 – Flatten the garlic white and cut it on the bias; crush

Flatten the garlic white and cut it on the bias; crush the garlic; shred the ginger.

Step 3 – Seed the green peppers and cut them into small chunks

Seed the green peppers and cut them into small chunks.

Step 4 – Heat oil and bloom the garlic, pickled ginger, and halv

Heat oil and bloom the garlic, pickled ginger, and halved chilies.

Step 5 – Add the dougan with a little light and dark soy and tos

Add the dougan with a little light and dark soy and toss a few times.

Step 6 – Add the green pepper and garlic white; the fragrance gr

Add the green pepper and garlic white; the fragrance grows. Add only a little salt – the pickle is already salty, and salt helps the pepper cook quickly.

Step 7 – Add the garlic-scape greens, toss a while, and finish w

Add the garlic-scape greens, toss a while, and finish with chicken powder.

Step 8 – Done – no filter, straight from the phone camera, good-

Done – no filter, straight from the phone camera, good-looking and tasty.

Step 9 – First-rate with congee

First-rate with congee.

Common Mistakes When Making This Dish

1. A raw garlic bite. Cause: not bloomed. Fix: fragrance first. 2. Soggy peppers. Cause: long cooking. Fix: salt makes them quick – the recipe’s trick. 3. A salty plate. Cause: salt over the pickle. Fix: light. 4. A pale dougan. Cause: no soy. Fix: the light and dark toss. 5. Dull chilies. Cause: whole, not halved. Fix: split lengthwise.

Variations

Milder: Fewer chilies. With pork: A few shreds first. My green pepper and dried tofu is the sheet version of the plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why halve the chilies? Split lengthwise, they give more flavor – the recipe’s note. Why so little salt? The pickled ginger carries it. Why does salt help the pepper? It draws the water and speeds the cook. How long does it take? About 15 minutes. Is it spicy? Sichuan-warm – and my silken tofu potage is the calm soup, savory tofu and egg stir-fry the fast plate.

How to Serve

Serve with congee or rice – with green pepper and dried tofu, Youxian-style spiced dried tofu, and home-style tofu for a congee table, or with red braised tofu and golden pan-fried tofu for contrast.

Storage & Reheat

Refrigerate 2 days; reheat quickly. Never leave out more than 2 hours.

Allergen Notice

This recipe contains soy (dougan, soy sauce). It is free of gluten (verify the soy), dairy, egg, nuts, fish, and shellfish.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

About the Author & Recipe Development

I am Jason Guo, a Chinese chef who has cooked professionally for more than five years – including time as a head chef – and now runs my own small restaurant in China, where tofu appears on the menu almost every day. This xiachufang cook’s green pepper and dougan is my congee-side plate, and the recipe’s halve-the-chili and salt-is-the-pickle notes are exactly the small wisdom I collect. I tested it as written. I have not tested the pork version, so that is your experiment, not my claim.

Authoritative References

USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service – Safe Temperature Chart for safe storage of cooked dishes.