This simple and flavorful zucchini stir-fry (Cù liū xīhúlu醋溜番瓜) is the accented by Chinese black vinegar and red chili peppers from Sichuan Province. Fresh zucchini is thinly sliced to cook quickly and absorb maximum flavor.
During the warmth of summer when fruits and vegetables are flourishing, zucchini is one of our go-to vegetables. This is one of those vegetables that was equally common to the summer vegetable gardens where Mark grew up in Alabama and in Jie’s hometown of Lanzhou, China. While zucchini is very versatile and can be grilled, sauteed, broiled or eaten raw, we prefer to slice it thinly and stir-fry with red chilis. This is a quick and easy recipe that you’ll want to add to your repertoire of summer side dishes.
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What is Zucchini?
Zucchini is a summer squash and part of the Cucurbitaceae plant family, which includes cucumbers, gourds, and pumpkins. First cultivated in Italy in the early 1800’s, they can be any shade of green and there are solid and striped varieties. Other than the stem, they are completely edible (skin, seeds, and flesh).
Nutritional Value
High in fiber and vitamins and low in calories, zucchini is a great addition to a healthy diet. According to Healthline, one cup of zucchini is just 17 calories and contains significant amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, manganese, magnesium, folate, and phosphorus. Don’t peel them because the dark green skin containing the most nutrients!
Ingredients
Gather all ingredients before starting.
- One medium to large zucchini – you can use any variety. We use one zucchini in this recipe and it only serves about 2 people as a side dish. You can double the ingredients if you have more hungry mouths to feed.
- 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar – we prefer Zhenjiang or Baoning vinegar. Zhenjiang vinegar is readily available at many Asian markets. You can buy it at Amazon, but it costs about three times as much as it should. Alternatively, you can buy Sichuan Baoning vinegar from the Mala Market. This is a premium aged vinegar that is worth the price! Baoning vinegar does not contain added salt or sugar, which give it a lighter flavor than Zhenjiang vinegar. It is a good choice when you have a recipe that already uses soy sauce which has a lot of sodium.
- 1 – 2 dried red chilis (.07 ounces or 2 grams) - whole dried red Chili peppers, Sichuan varieties (er jing tiao, Xiao mi la) if possible. Sichuan chili peppers have more depth of flavor and provide medium heat. These can be found at your local Asian market, on Amazon, or online at the Mala Market. These are not to be confused with Sichuan peppercorns (hua jiao) below.
- Salt – to taste, approximately ½ to 1 teaspoon.
Instructions
Step 1: Wash the zucchini, cut off the stem, and then cut in half lengthwise. Cut each half into thin slices – about 1/16 to ⅛ of an inch (2 to 3 millimeters). The thin slices allow the zucchini to cook quickly without requiring a lot of oil and help it to retain more flavor from the vinegar and chilis.
Step 2: Heat the wok over medium high heat. Once hot, add the cooking oil and swirl around to cover the sides. When oil is slightly smoking, add the dried red chilis and stir-fry until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Do not allow the chilis to burn (Tip, if the chilis are starting to burn, go ahead and add the zucchini to cool down the wok).
Step 3: Add the sliced zucchini to the wok and stir-fry about one minute on high heat. Next, add the salt and then continue to stir-fry until the zucchini slices begin to become transparent.
Step 4: Once the zucchini slices are beginning to become transparent, add the vinegar and stir-fry on medium-high to high heat. Continue cooking until the zucchini is transparent and tender to your preference. Taste and add more salt and vinegar if desired.
Step 5: Once your desired level of tenderness and seasoning is achieved, plate and serve immediately!
Hint: Turn the oven on warm and place the zucchini (on an oven safe dish) in the oven until you are ready to eat.
Variations
Sichuan peppercorns – For a floral woodsy citrus flavor with a slight numbing sensation, add 1 teaspoon of whole Sichuan pepper (hua jiao) at the same time you add the dried red chilis.
Hua jiao is a spice (a berry to be exact) commonly used in Sichuan cuisine. It grows on spiky shrubs which can shred the hands of those who pick it. It is grown in other regions as well, but the varieties that come out of Sichuan are renowned. For novices, one of the first things you will notice when eating hua jiao is a pleasant tingling numbing effect. This is due to a molecule called sanshool. Like many of the dry ingredients in our recipes, these can be purchased on Amazon, or for the best quality, order from the Mala Market.
Storage
Stir-fried zucchini can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days, but is best eaten right away.
Top tip
The main aspect of mastering this recipe is learning to cut very thin slices, consistently. If you master this cutting technique for the zucchini recipe you will also be ready for our Chinese eggplant stir-fried with tomatoes and peppers (qie la xi 茄辣西). At first it can be time consuming, but if you start slow while learning you will gradually be able to speed up.
📖 Recipe
Simple and Flavorful Chinese Zucchini Stir-fry
Ingredients
- 1 medium to large zucchini you can use any variety. We use one zucchini in this recipe and it only serves about 2 people as a side dish. You can double the ingredients if you have more hungry mouths to feed.
- 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar we prefer Zhenjiang or Baoning vinegar. Zhenjiang vinegar is readily available at many Asian markets. You can buy it at Amazon, but it costs about three times as much as it should. Alternatively, you can buy Sichuan Baoning vinegar from the Mala Market. This is a premium aged vinegar that is worth the price! Baoning vinegar does not contain added salt or sugar, which give it a lighter flavor than Zhenjiang vinegar. It is a good choice when you have a recipe that already uses soy sauce which has a lot of sodium.
- .07 ounces dried red chilis whole dried red Chili peppers, Sichuan varieties (er jing tiao, Xiao mi la) if possible. Sichuan chili peppers have more depth of flavor and provide medium heat. These can be found at your local Asian market, on Amazon, or online at the Mala Market. These are not to be confused with Sichuan peppercorns (hua jiao) below.
- ½ teaspoon Salt or to taste, approximately ½ to 1 teaspoon.
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
Instructions
- Step 1: Wash the zucchini, cut off the stem, and then cut in half lengthwise. Cut each half into thin slices – about 1/16 to ⅛ of an inch (2 to 3 millimeters). The thin slices allow the zucchini to cook quickly without requiring a lot of oil and help it to retain more flavor from the vinegar and chilis.1 medium to large zucchini
- Step 2: Heat the wok over medium high heat. Once hot, add the cooking oil and swirl around to cover the sides. When oil is slightly smoking, add the dried red chilis and stir-fry until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Do not allow the chilis to burn (Tip, if the chilis are starting to burn, go ahead and add the zucchini to cool down the wok)..07 ounces dried red chilis, 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- Step 3: Add the sliced zucchini to the wok and stir-fry about one minute on high heat. Next, add the salt and then continue to stir-fry until the zucchini slices begin to become transparent.1 medium to large zucchini, ½ teaspoon Salt
- Step 4: Once the zucchini slices are beginning to become transparent, add the vinegar and stir-fry on medium-high to high heat. Continue cooking until the zucchini is transparent and tender to your preference. Taste and add more salt and vinegar if desired.1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
- Step 5: Once your desired level of tenderness and seasoning is achieved, plate and serve immediately!
Nutrition
Nutrition disclaimer
malaeats.com is created for informational purposes only. Although we do our best to provide nutritional information to our readers as a general guideline, we are not certified nutritionists and the nutritional values provided should be considered estimates. Numerous factors such as variations in fresh ingredients, brands purchased, etc. will alter the nutritional values in any recipe. Different online calculators also provide different results depending on their sources. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, please use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities you used.
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods (less than 2 hours is recommended by the CDC).
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
See more guidelines at the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention website.
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