Sour Spicy Garlic Bolts

Suan La Suantai (酸辣蒜苔)

Fresh garlic bolts are infused with a tangy aromatic sauce made from seasoned soy sauce combined with aromatic garlic, ginger, and red chilies - making this dish sour, spicy, and ultra-flavorful.

Sichuan tables are full of simple delicious dishes such as Sour Spicy Garlic Bolts. Most Sichuan families eat at banquet style meals with multiple dishes. These dishes will usually include a few hot soupy dishes with meat and/ or organs, a hot dish with veggies, and a few cold dishes. These cold dishes will usually be a meat dish (Beef, Pork, Rabbit), a chicken dish, and / or some veggie dishes. Sour Spicy Garlic Bolts obviously falls into this last category.

Garlic Bolts (蒜苔), commonly known as garlic scapes, are the flower stalks of garlic bulbs that are harvested before they bloom. Garlic bolts have a mild garlic flavor and, in my opinion, a subtle sweetness. While normally stir-fried with dishes such as Salty Fried Pork (盐煎肉), they can be enjoyed uncooked and mixed with a delicious sauce as in the following recipe. Regardless, for garlic lovers, they are a must try.

The sauce for Sour Spicy Garlic Bolts is extremely flavorful. The base flavors come from the Tangy Aromatic Soy Sauce that becomes infused with powerful aromatics like young ginger (仔姜), garlic, and red chilies. Garlic Bolts normally have a somewhat subdued flavor, but when combined with this sauce, the Garlic Bolts will be bursting with spicy, tangy, garlic-ginger flavor. Normally, because of the strong flavor, only a few of these are eaten by guests during a meal and the leftovers are stored in the fridge. In this way, the Sour Spicy Garlic Bolts can be enjoyed at multiple meals and add variety to the table.

The following recipe uses a simple version of a seasoned soy sauce that is sweet, sour, and aromatic. The spices listed are rather basic and other spices can be used. For more information on seasoned soy sauces as well as a better idea of the types of spices that can be used, check out my Ultimate Guide to Seasoned Soy Sauces.

Prep Time: 45 min

Cook Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8hours 45 min

Serving: 2 - 4 people

Ingredients

400 grams Garlic Bolts
2 tsp. Salt

Tangy Aromatic Soy Sauce
1 cup Light Soy Sauce
2/3 cup Chinkiang Black Vinegar
4 Tbsp. White Sugar
2 Bay Leaves
1 Star Anise

Aromatics
4 cloves of Garlic
2-inch block of Young Ginger (Use regular Ginger if unavailable)
5 - 10 fresh Red Chilies

Directions

1.) Wash the Garlic Bolts and cut into 2-inch-long pieces. Place these in a bowl and add Salt. Mix and allow to rest for 40 minutes. (This will remove excess water from the Garlic Bolts so that they will absorb more sauce later).

2.) While the Garlic Bolts are resting, prepare the Tangy Aromatic Soy Sauce by adding Soy Sauce, Vinegar, Sugar, Bay Leaves, and Star Anise to a wok. Heat the sauce until boiling, and then pour into a bowl to cool.

3.) Prepare the Aromatics:

• Peel and thinly slice the Garlic.
• Cut the Ginger into slices and then into thin matchstick-like strips
• Cut the Red Chilies in half lengthwise into long thin strips.

4.) Once the Tangy Aromatic Soy Sauce is relatively cool, add the Aromatics and mix briefly.

5.) After the Garlic Bolts have rested for about 40 minutes, cover with water and wash off the extra salt. Drain the Garlic Bolts and add to the Sauce and Aromatics.

6.) Mix the Garlic Bolts and Sauce thoroughly, cover with plastic wrap, and then place in the fridge for at least 8 hours, but preferably overnight. For best results, mix everything at least once or twice during this period if the sauce doesn't quite cover the Garlic Bolts completely.

7.) The next day plate the Sour Spicy Garlic Bolts on a serving plate along with some of the sauce.

 

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