What's the red stuff on 烧烤 (street barbecue) made of?

[Baron]

That red spicy stuff that gets pasted all over everything that goes on a street barbecue, does anyone know what goes into it?

 

God I miss it.

[Meng Lelan]

Maybe it's a secret recipe. 

[Hofmann]

Supposed to be red fermented bean curd (紅腐乳). But probably food coloring.

[gato]

Chili pepper and cumin.

http://wapbaike.baidu.com/view/35323.htm?adapt=1&

烤羊肉串的吃法只撒辣椒和孜然两种作料

[tysond]

It's all over the Xinjiang food in Beijing, but when I went to Xinjiang the Uighur's said they don't eat it, it's a Han addition.

 

I was amused given the horror of most Chinese I know express over local adaptations of Chinese food.

[roddy]

See also, or this. I've done chili, cumin and salt and been pleased with the result. 

[Baron]

Thank you for your suggestions and recipes.

 

One thing though, in Hubei people paint the stuff onto the food, but the above suggestions are mostly powder based. Is it just mixed with oil? It doesn't seem like just oil and powder.

[roddy]

Chili flakes, cumin seeds, I guess. 

[Baron]

Clearly you need to go to Hubei

 

However I'll still try the recipes suggested