Ready to bring home some new handmade goodies from our Asian food workshop? Don’t miss the Ciba chilli paste-making session on April 20th at Bergen Assembly. Our Chinese food recipe creator, Michelle Zhao, will show you how to make this delicacy from her hometown, Kunming. No pre-qualification is required, but you should preferably be able to enjoy spicy food.

Ciba chilli, a condiment originated in northern Yunnan, Guizhou, and Zigong, features the distinctive Zunyi chilli known for its moderate spiciness and robust aroma. Ciba chilli is prepared by soaking dried chillies in water. Then, add ginger and garlic cloves with the chilli into a pounding bowl and grind them together until they dissolve into a flavorful paste.

Michelle Zhao currently lives in Bergen, Norway, but grew up in the southern Chinese province of Yunnan. She is a freelance recipe creator and food stylist on Instagram (No Sweet Sour) and co-owner of the restaurant Banzha. In April 2024, she is set to launch her first cookbook, "Hjemmelaget Kinesisk." She loves to host dinners at home, where she cooks mostly Yunnanese dishes. Spreading the joy of good company while having delicious food is one of the happiest things she can think of.