Spicy mix of black pepper and hua jiao

I decided to explore how different types of peppers stimulate the senses. So I tried a black pepper with hua jiao. One stimulates the mouth with an explosive feel, while the other gives a numbing sensation that lingers. I used them in a vegetable dish with a sweet base. In this dish, also picked a nice mix of vegetables that goes well with tofu: Thai eggplant (crunchy), mushroom (a taste absorbent), carrot (sweet), purple onion (tangy).


Recipe: Tofu and mixed vegetables with black pepper and hua jiao pepper (for 2-3)


Ingredients:
- 1/2 pack tofu, cut to 1/2" cubes
- 2 Thai eggplant, cut into 6 pieces each
- 4 mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 1 small carrot, cut to 1/4" pieces
- 1/8 of a small purple onion, cut to 1/4" pieces
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon (TB) hoisin sauce
- 1 TB light soy sauce
- 2 TB meat stock
- 1/2 teaspoon (tp) black pepper
- 1/4 tp hua jiao pepper
- 2 TB herbal grilling oil


Procedure:
Heat grilling oil in a pan with hua jiao pepper, garlic and onion until sizzling. Spread mushroom pieces on pan and let cook on med-high heat until they start to give out water. Add carrot and cook for a few minutes. Then add Thai eggplant and cook for another few minutes. Add tofu pieces and mix. At med-high heat, the tofu and vegetables should remain moist, but the bottom of the pan should not be covered with water. When the moisture is about to dry out, mix soy sauce, hoisin sauce, black pepper, and meat stock. Add to pan and mix well. Serve right away.

The result of this dish is exciting. The black pepper gives a strong aroma as the forerunner of this spicy dish. Once in the month, the black pepper stimulates everywhere it touches. Then, few moments later, the mouth starts to notice its numbness. That's the hua jiao pepper which had made a subtle entrance.