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Category: Chili Crisp

Published on Leave a comment on Lee Kum Kee Chiu Chow Style Chili Crisp Oil

This Lee Kum Kee Chiu Chow Style Chili Crisp Oil came from a local Asian market. We originally thought this was the maker's de facto chili crisp, but we later became aware of a product they call Original Chili Crisp. Unfortunately, even though they sell a broad range of Lee Kum Kee product, the market doesn't stock it.

Lee Kum Kee Chiu Chow Style Chili Crisp Oil jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Chili
  • Garlic
  • Soy sauce
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Soybean
  • Solids to oil ratio: Moderate
  • Flavor Enhancer: (I+G)
  • Potential allergens: Soy, sesame, wheat
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Medium
  • Texture: Coarse paste
  • Saltiness: Moderately high (410mg. per 15gm.)

As chili crisps go, this style, or at least this particular one, isn't very crunchy. The texture of the solids is a coarse paste, or as we have seen some characterize it, a confit. The first thing that hits you is how salty it is, courtesy of (besides salt, obviously) the salted chili peppers and the soy sauce. Once you get past that, the heat of the chili, the soft garlic and the soy sauce begin to reveal themselves. There's only a little bit of sugar, and it doesn't seem to add anything, as far as we could tell.

There is no actual MSG listed, but there are some MSG-adjacent ingredients in its place.

All things considered, we liked the flavor profile, and assume the salt will be mitigated by actually consuming it with food. We really missed the crisp, though, and would have preferred it to have had some actual crunch.

We also tried to nail down just exactly what is meant by "Chiu Chow style", but couldn't come up with a definitive answer. Apparently, garlic and chili spice are key, as are umami additions which sometimes include dried shrimp or fish.

Ingredients

Soybean oil, water, dehydrated garlic, dried chili peppers, salted chili peppers (chili peppers, salt), soy sauce (water, salt, soybeans, wheat flour), salt, sesame oil, sugar, disodium 5'-inosinate and disodium 5'-guanylate as flavor enhancers.

More Information

Brand: Lee Kum Kee
Style: Chili crisp
Price paid: $5.69 / 7.2oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website:
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Published on Leave a comment on Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp – China

This Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp - China is a separate version you may or may not find in local stores. Definitely not the one sold by Walmart. That version is soybean oil-based and has a somewhat different flavor profile from this one, a rapeseed oil-based formula sold in the Chinese market. It can be distinguished from the former by its lack of English labeling, which is only included by way of an added adhesive label. We got this one at a local Asian market that carries both.

Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp - China jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Chili
  • Onion
  • Fermented soybean
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Rapeseed
  • Solids to oil ratio: High
  • Flavor Enhancer: MSG
  • Potential allergens: Soy
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Low to medium
  • Texture: Flaky fried chili
  • Saltiness: Moderate (405mg. per 30gm.)

We weren't sure what to expect from this version formulated for sale in China. We assumed it would be pretty much the same as the US export version most likely to be found here. Perhaps the substitution of soybean oil in the US version would add some flavor element that a neutral oil such as rapeseed would not.

What we did find were more in the way of differences in texture and contributions to overall flavor by other ingredients. Basically, we found a little less onion, a little more heat, and a more apparent contribution from the soybeans. We assume the latter are fermented even though the label is non-specific. They are not the crunchy variety, so we'll stick by our assumption.

The texture also differs. The solids lean more to the flaky fried chilis and al dente fermented soybean. The diminishment of onion flavor seems directly related to a loss of most of the onion crunch as well.

One other notable difference stuck out: no added preservatives in this version.

The flavor may seem a little "off" if you're used to the US export version. They may seem muted by comparison. Surprising, as the expectation was the US version might be geared toward more of a generic, Western mass market sensibility. We thought, however, after a few separate tastings, that this version is just fine, albeit different from the more onion-forward US version to which we've become accustomed.

The question we were left with was, is the version that most in the US are familiar with not really the most authentic after all? And is this Chinese version truly the OG that Tao Huabi originally concocted? Even without those answers, we found there's much to like in both.

Ingredients

Rapeseed oil, chili, onion, soybean, MSG, edible salt, sugar, pepper

More Information

Brand: Lao Gan Ma
Style: Chli crisp
Price Paid: $4.59 / 7.41oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website:
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Published on Leave a comment on NPG Sichuan Chili Crisp

We bought this NPG Sichuan Chili Crisp after trying the NPG Sichuan Chili Oil. That one was about as close to being a chili crisp without actually being one as we could imagine. We hoped we would like this one as well.

NPG Sichuan Chili Crisp jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Sichuan chili
  • Fermented black bean
  • Peanut and sesame
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Soybean
  • Solids to oil ratio: Extemely high
  • Flavor Enhancer: MSG
  • Potential allergens: Soy, sesame, peanut
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Moderate
  • Texture: Thick and crunchy
  • Saltiness: Moderately low (137mg. per 15gm.)

This one is super thick and crunchy. At first, we thought the peas and peanuts were just floating on the top, but, no, it's too thick. It's like the solids are just coated in oil, rather than immersed in it. The fragrant aroma of fermented black bean is apparent when opening the jar.

New to us is the inclusion of crispy, crunchy peas. The peanuts are mostly unbroken halves. The fermented black beans are dense and chewy. The sesame seeds are not plentiful, but you can taste them through the pepper.

The application of Sichuan pepper is once again even-handed. It supplies a moderate, lingering heat on the palate, not overwhelming the flavors of the copious solids. The sugar adds a bit of roundness that plays well with the heat and enhances the nuttiness of the sesame and peanuts. While not explicitly listed, we thought we detected star anise among the unnamed "spices".

Sodium is a low 137mg. per tablespoon, so not really that salty at all. Any higher, we thought, would have taken away from the complexity of everything else.

Normally $9.99, we got this one for $7.99 on sale. If you're interested in trying something different from the typical shallot/garlic/chile, this is one to consider. We're going to enjoy working our way through this jar.

Ingredients

 Soybean oil, soybean, pea, peanut, fermented black bean, sesame seed, Sichuan pepper, Sichuan chili, salt, sugar, MSG, spices

More Information

Brand: NPG / Natural Plus Green
Style: Chili crisp
Price paid: $7.99 / 7oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website: www.naturalplusgreen.com
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Published on Leave a comment on Fusion Select Chili Crisp Oil – Mild

This Fusion Select Chili Crisp Oil - Mild came from Amazon. We hadn't seen it anywhere locally, and it sounded good. $10 for a 6 oz. jar seemed within reason, so we went for it.

Fusion Select Chili Crisp Oil - Mild jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Garlic
  • Onion
  • Chili
  • Soybean
  • Sugar
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Soybean
  • Solids to oil ratio: High
  • Flavor Enhancer: MSG
  • Potential allergens: Soy
  • Storage: Keep in cool dry place
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Medium
  • Texture: Crunchy
  • Saltiness: Medium (280mg. per 30gm.)

Once again, the ingredients shown on the jar in the Amazon listing did not match that of the actual jar we received (see below). The UPC codes are the same. Notably, the soybean is no longer listed as fermented, and the product is now absent preservatives. The order of ingredients has also changed, meaning there is now more or less of an item depending upon where it falls in the listing. One wonders how brands maintain a following when recipes are changed without apparent notice. Neither the maker, nor the US distributor appear to have any dedicated web presence to which one might refer.

Moving on. Upon opening the jar, the first thing you notice is the many whole, crunchy soybeans which have managed to make their way to the top. No mean feat, as the texture here is quite chunky. A quick taste reveals layers of onion and garlic, complemented by a level of sweetness. Only after swallowing does the heat of the chili assert itself at the back of the throat.

This is another one that, to us, has a bit of an identity problem. It calls itself a chili crisp, but in many respects is more like a taberu rayu. Sans the soybeans, and with a crunchier garlic component, this could easily be mistaken for that other Japanese condiment.

Although this one is marked "mild", we haven't been able to find any other version anywhere. However, we deemed this one spicy enough to not be left wanting for more heat.

If you really like this one, it's available on Amazon in multiples of two or three at significant savings over buying a single jar at a time. We'd give it serious consideration.

Ingredients

Soybean oil, chili, soybean, garlic, onion, salt, sugar, MSG, pepper powder

Soybean oil, chili, onion, fermented soybean (soybean, water), MSG, salt, sugar, pepper powder, sulfur dioxide, sodium sulfite

More Information

Brand: Ace Solutions Holding, Inc / Fusion Select
Style: Chili crisp
Price paid: $9.99 / 6.18oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website:
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Published on Leave a comment on Simply Asia Chili Crunch

This Simply Asia Chili Crunch came from Amazon where, as part of the Big Spring Sale, it was marked down to $7.74, allegedly 20% off. Ironically, it was spotted as a new item at a local Walmart before the Amazon order arrived on our doorstep.

Simply Asia Chili Crunch jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Onion
  • Chili
  • Shallot
  • Sugar
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Rapeseed
  • Solids to oil ratio: Moderately high
  • Flavor Enhancer: Natural
  • Potential allergens: Soy
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Moderate
  • Texture: Coarse, flaky crunch
  • Saltiness: Low (0mg. per 14gm.)

Simply Asia calls it "chili crunch", a term that received a whole bunch of publicity when a competitor acquired the trademark for it, then started sending out cease and desist letters to anyone else using what had long been considered a generic term. That competitor has since reconsidered the wisdom of that move.

The initial appearance is of a typical chili crisp. Abundant chili flakes and shallot for the solids are reasonably coarse, providing a satisfactory textural experience. Soybeans are way down the ingredient list, and we had to go fishing to find some. They are crunchy, not fermented. The solid-to-oil ratio here is moderately high, but still with enough oil you really need to stir it up before spooning some out.

The overall flavor profile is well-balanced. Onion-y umami, moderately spicy chili, a subtle hit of Sichuan pepper, and a hint of sweetness to round it all out. Saltiness is low, and we can't fathom how a product listing salt as even a minor ingredient can claim 0mg. sodium, but that's what the label and website both say.

We liked this one for its accessible flavor, and look forward to having it be available as a regular item at the local Wally World.

Ingredients

Rapeseed oil, onion, spices (including chili pepper, sichuan pepper), shallot, soybeans, salt & sugar.

More Information

Brand: Simply Asia Foods, LLC / Simply Asia
Style: Chili crisp
Price Paid: $7.74 / 7.05oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website: www.simplyasia.com
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Published on Leave a comment on Mr Bing Chili Crisp – Mild

We were able to obtain the smallest jar of this Mr Bing Chili Crisp - Mild for our testing. $6 for a little 4 oz. jar at World Market. We had to make two trips to find it because they don't stock it with their other chili crisps. Nope, it's way over in their "mini" section, stocked with other, travel size condiments. Oy!

Mr Bing Chili Crisp - Mild jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Onion
  • Pepper
  • Sugar
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Canola
  • Solids to oil ratio: Medium to low
  • Flavor Enhancer: Natural
  • Potential allergens: N/S
  • Storage: No refrigeration needed
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Mild
  • Texture: Slurry
  • Saltiness: Low (50mg. per 5gm.)

This one was hard to get an initial take on as the plastic jar is tinted dark brown. One could assume this is to retard degradation from light exposure. Once opened, the solids are mostly powdery and dark in color. An exception is a small amount of lighter colored granules we figured out must be the rice bran. The turbinado sugar is also coarse, and adds a bit of texture in addition to some sweetness.

The heat is mild, with the white pepper and Sichuan peppercorn only minimally represented in the overall flavor profile. A graphic "spice meter" on the label rates this mild version as one pepper out of five.

Ingredients

Non-GMO expeller pressed canola oil, onions, chili peppers, rice bran, garlic, turbinado sugar, salt, mushroom powder, spices (white pepper, Sichuan peppercorn)

More Information

Brand: BHG Foods LLC / Mr Bing
Style: Chili crisp
Country of Origin: USA
Manufacturer website:
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Published on Leave a comment on Lao Gan Ma Hot Chili Sauce

This Lao Gan Ma Hot Chili Sauce is the next entry in our quest to try all of their chili oil-based products. It looks quite different from their Spicy Chili Crisp or the Fried Chili In Oil. It comes in multiple sizes, and the Asian market we obtained it from had this 9.88oz. jar. We hoped it would be as good as those others.

Lao Gan Ma Hot Chili Sauce jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Chili
  • Peanut
  • Kohlrabi
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Soybean
  • Solids to oil ratio: High
  • Flavor Enhancer: MSG
  • Potential allergens: Soy, peanut
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Low
  • Texture: Crunchy and crunchier
  • Saltiness: Low (670mg. per 30gm.)

This one from Lao Gan Ma has a different sensibility from others of theirs we've tried so far. The first thing you notice about this Hot Chili Sauce is, well, it's not very hot. The heat from the chili is warm but relatively mild, leaving only a minimal amount of tingly numbness on the lips. There is initially a slight hit of pepper heat at the back of the throat if tasted by itself. There's no onion or shallot or garlic. It's not too salty tasting, even at 670mg. sodium.

There are whole peanuts for crunch and nuttiness, and crisp, crackly cubes of soybean curd for even more crunch. Kohlrabi gives a contrasting chewy texture and a vegetal flavor note.

While the brittle cubes of soybean curd were a little weird, we liked the overall flavor profile and varied textures of this one enough to consider buying it again.

Ingredients

Soybean oil, chili, kohlrabi (fermented), peanut, beancurd (soybean, water), monosodium glutamate, salt, sugar, pepper powder, sulfur dioxide, sodium sulfite.

More Information

Brand: Lao Gan Ma
Style: Chili crisp adjacent
Price paid: $5 / 9.88oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website: www.laoganmausa.com
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Published on Leave a comment on Chuannan Chili Oil Crisp

This Chuannan Chili Oil Crisp was an impulse buy at a local Asian market. The label didn't disclose much, being there was nothing in English except for an adhesive label with nutritional information on the back. A web search was necessary just to find out the brand name. What we could see through the glass looked promising, so we took a chance, and were pleasantly surprised.

Chuan Nan Sichuan Chili Oil Crisp jar

Translating the label, the vertical ribbon says "Authentic Sichuan flavor". The oval logo and top line both read Chuān Nán or "Southern Sichuan", while the large characters read "Spicy oil" or "Chili oil". The line below that appears to mean "For mixing with vegetables and noodles", a serving suggestion, we assume.

Main Flavor Elements
  • Chili
  • Peanut
  • Scallion
  • Sichuan peppercorn
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Rapeseed (canola)
  • Solids to oil ratio: High
  • Flavor Enhancer: MSG, (I+G)
  • Potential allergens: Soy, peanut
  • Storage: Keep in cool, dry place. Refrigerate after opening.
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Off the chart
  • Texture: Crunchy
  • Saltiness: Moderately high (492 mg. per 30 gm.)

If you like the heat of chili pepper and the numbing effect of Sichuan peppercorn, this Chuannan Chili Oil Crisp is for you. Made in the bold you lazi style, a mere teaspoon will make your eyes water and your pate perspire. You may even sneeze if you taste it by itself.

The major crunch comes from whole soybeans, while finer solids in the form of pepper, peanut and spring onion round out the texture and flavor. And, of course, there's that powerful and lingering Sichuan peppercorn.

A teaspoon or so mixed into a bowl of hot noodles on a cold day will warm you up and clear your sinuses at the same time.

While this one's intensity might not make it a daily driver, it's certainly worthy of shelf space in a chili crisp lover's arsenal.

Ingredients

Rapeseed oil, chili, soybean, salt, peanut, scallion, white sugar, MSG, disodium 5'-ribonucleotide, edible favors and spices

More Information

Brand: SIchuan Weihong Food Co, Ltd. / Chuannan
Style: Southern Sichuan Chili Crisp
Price paid: $5 / 9.24oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website:
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Published on Leave a comment on Lao Gan Ma Fried Chili in Oil

This Lao Gan Ma Fried Chili in Oil is a counterpart to its chili crisp sibling. While Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp has a complexity all its own, this one offers a slightly different take more reminiscent of Sichuan chili crisps. While it characterizes itself as a chili oil, we classify it with chili crisps due to its preponderance of solids.

Lao Gan Ma Fried Chili in Oil jar
Lao Gan Ma Fried Chili in Oil sample
Main Flavor Elements
  • Chili
  • Peanut
  • Sugar
  • Prickly ash (see below)
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Soybean
  • Solids to oil ratio: Moderately high
  • Flavor Enhancer: MSG
  • Potential allergens: Soy, peanut
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Medium
  • Texture: Chunky, chewy
  • Saltiness: Low to medium (170mg. per 30gm.)

Here, we have peanuts replacing the fermented soybean of the Spicy Chili Crisp. We also have the addition of prickly ash powder, which brings a subtle numbing effect similar to sichuan peppercorn.

What is prickly ash, you ask? Well, it's related to sichuan peppercorn, both being derived from plants in the genus Zanthoxylum. To illustrate the difference, it may be said that all Sichuan peppercorn is a type of prickly ash, but not all prickly ash is Sichuan peppercorn.

If you're a fan of what prickly ash brings to a chili crisp recipe, it's commonly available powdered in the spice aisle of Asian markets.

Ingredients

Soybean oil, chili, peanut, MSG, salt, sugar, prickly ash powder, sulfur dioxide, sodium sulfite

Update

It would appear that prickly ash powder has been eliminated from the formula for this product.

More Information

Brand: Lao Gan Ma
Style: Fried Chili in Oil
Price paid: $4.49 / 7.41oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website: laoganmausa.com
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Published on Leave a comment on Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp – Original
Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp current label
Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp - Original sample

Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp - Original is one of the spicier takes on the condiment. It is based on a blend of rapeseed (canola) and soybean oils. Its "original" version packs a significant amount of heat due to the Sichuan peppercorn content, which can have a numbing effect on the lips and tongue. This effect is considered a positive.

Main Flavor Elements
  • Dried Chili Pepper
  • Preserved Black Bean
  • Garlic
  • Sesame Oil
  • Salt
  • Shallots
  • Ginger
  • Mushroom Powder
  • Sichuan Pepper
  • Seaweed Powder
  • Spices
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Canola, soybean
  • Solids to oil ratio: Medium
  • Flavor Enhancer: Natural
  • Potential allergens: Sesame
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Hot
  • Texture: Mildly crunchy
  • Saltiness: Moderate (390 mg. per 30 gm.)

Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp - Original is perhaps the most visible brands of sichuan chili crisps, due to its availability at even Walmart. A collaboration with the Fishwife brand of premium tinned seafoods also brought it higher awareness in that popular market segment.

The ratio of crunchy bits to oil is lower in the Fly By Jing. The solids are also much finer than others compared here. Some are even powdery fine, giving it a muddy consistency. As such, you'll really want to stir it up well, right before serving. Each and every time you spoon some out, in fact. The serving size is a spare one teaspoon. You'll likely use more than that. Maybe not two tablespoons, but certainly more than just a teaspoon.

Ingredients

Non-GMO Rapeseed oil, Non-GMO Soybean oil, Dried Chili Pepper, Preserved Black Bean, Garlic, Sesame Oil, Salt, Shallots, Ginger, Mushroom Powder, Sichuan Pepper, Seaweed Powder, Spices

More Information
Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp old label

You may encounter an earlier version of the Original label, which, as of this writing, is still within "sell by" dating. It contains a considerable amount of verbiage about the creator, Jing "Jenny" Gao, her name and her life experience. The updated label has eliminated that and the ambiguity of the former, now stating "Original" clearly.

In addition to the Original, there are also Sweet & Spicy, Xtra Crunchy and Xtra Spicy versions. Original and Sweet & Spicy are considered "medium". The Xtra Crunchy is "mild", and the Xtra Spicy is "very spicy". Notably, but inconspicuously, MSG is absent in all versions, its umami role replaced by mushroom powder.

Available at Amazon.

Brand: Fly By Jing
Style: Chili crisp
Price paid: $9.39 / 6oz.
Country of Origin:
Manufacturer website: 
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