Spicy Pot Crayfish

This dish is a bold Sichuan-Chongqing Jianghu classic, featuring crayfish stir-fried in a rich, numbing-spicy sauce with aromatic dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns. It’s ideal for lively gatherings or casual dinners where sharing from one pot encourages interaction. The final texture is tender-crisp crayfish meat with deeply infused flavor and a lingering heat.

Taste: Intensely spicy, numbing, savory, with layers of umami and slight sweetness; aromatic from toasted spices and garlic.Total Time: 45 minutes (including prep and cooking)Servings: 2Suitable For: Adults who enjoy bold flavors, social diners, spice lovers; not recommended for young children or those with gastric sensitivityBudget: ¥120–¥180 (depending on crayfish market price; mid-range for 4 servings)

Ingredients

Fresh crayfish 1000g (cleaned
tails only)
Dried red chilies 30g (whole
deseeded if preferred)
Sichuan peppercorns 10g
Garlic 15 cloves (minced)
Ginger 30g (sliced)
Scallions 4 stalks (cut into 3cm sections)
Onion 1 medium (quartered)
Potato 200g (cubed
parboiled)
Eggplant 200g (cubed
salted and drained)
Doubanjiang (fermented broad bean paste) 2 tbsp
Chili bean oil 3 tbsp
Soy sauce 1 tbsp
Shaoxing wine 2 tbsp
Sugar 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil 6 tbsp

Nutrition

Calories~850 kcal per serving (for 4 servings)

Protein48g (mainly from crayfish)

Fat42g (mostly from oil and chili oil; includes unsaturated fats from sesame and vegetable oils)

Carbohydrates32g (from potato, eggplant, and minimal sugar)

VitaminsRich in B12, niacin, selenium (crayfish); vitamin C and potassium (vegetables)

Iron6.5mg (crayfish + doubanjiang)

Tips

Use live crayfish for best texture and freshness; avoid frozen tails if possible
Toast Sichuan peppercorns gently—overheating makes them bitter
Do not overcrowd the wok; cook in batches if needed to ensure proper searing
Let the dish rest 2 minutes before serving to deepen flavor integration

Steps

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