Nanpie

Nanpie (Chinese Garlic-Chili-Ginger Sauce)

Nanpie is a punchy, aromatic Chinese condiment built on garlic, fresh chili, ginger and coriander. It is used as a dipping sauce for dumplings, grilled meats and seafood, or stirred through noodles and steamed vegetables.

Prep

15 min

Cook

5 min

Total

20 min

Serves

Makes about 250 ml (roughly 1 cup)

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •60 g (½ cup) garlic cloves, peeled, very finely minced or pounded to a paste
• •30 g (2 tbsp) fresh ginger, peeled, very finely minced or pounded
• •40 g (about 3 tbsp) fresh red chili (such as bird's eye or erjingtiao), trimmed and finely minced; keep seeds for more heat
• •20 g (1 cup loosely packed) fresh coriander (leaves and tender stems), finely chopped
• •15 g (2 tbsp) scallion, white and green parts, finely chopped
• •60 ml (¼ cup) neutral cooking oil, vegetable, canola or light olive oil
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) Chinkiang black vinegar, or another Chinese black vinegar
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) light soy sauce
• •5 ml (1 tsp) toasted sesame oil, optional, for finish
• •2 g (½ tsp) fine salt, adjust to taste
• •1 g (½ tsp) ground white pepper, or freshly ground black pepper

Steps

1. 1 Prepare the aromatics: mince the garlic, ginger, chili and scallion as finely as possible, then chop the coriander. Keeping everything very fine gives the sauce a smooth, cohesive texture rather than a chunky one.
2. 2 Tip the minced garlic, ginger, chili and scallion into a heatproof bowl (traditionally ceramic) and sprinkle the salt and white pepper over them. Add the chopped coriander but keep it aside for the moment if you prefer a brighter green.
3. 3 Heat the neutral oil in a small pan over medium heat until it reaches about 180 °C (350 °F) — a small piece of scallion should sizzle immediately on contact. If you do not have a thermometer, heat until the oil is shimmering and just wisping of smoke.
4. 4 Carefully pour the hot oil directly over the garlic, ginger and chili. There will be a vigorous sizzle; this bloats the aromatics and tames the raw heat of the garlic. Stir gently and let it stand for 1 minute so the oil cools slightly.
5. 5 Add the Chinkiang vinegar, light soy sauce and, if using, the toasted sesame oil. Stir to combine. The residual heat will be enough to wilt the coriander slightly; if you want a fresher, greener sauce, wait until the oil has cooled to about 40 °C (104 °F) before adding the coriander.
6. 6 Taste and adjust: add more salt for pungency, more vinegar for brightness, or a few drops of soy sauce for depth. The sauce should be intensely savory, garlicky and hot, with a clear herbal lift from the coriander.
7. 7 Serve at room temperature as a dip for boiled or pan-fried dumplings, grilled lamb skewers, steamed fish, or cold poached chicken. Store in a clean jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; the flavor deepens after 12–24 hours.