This Chins licKING Chili Oil came from Amazon. We're not exactly sure what the brand name's play on words is supposed to be. But we're guessing the emphasis on KING was the goal, even if the "licking" part escapes us. Although the jar says "Chins licKING", the company website always expresses the brand name as "ChinslicKING". We were slightly disappointed that the jar we received had an expiration date a mere four months away, but we expect that, if we like it, it will be used up by then.
New Size and Package
The package shown is the new larger size. Its predecessor looks nothing like it. The jar itself is now plastic. Notable is the also-new closure which adds a pull-ring metal lid underneath the screw-on plastic lid. And, as we know, anything that makes for leak-free shipping is more than welcome in this product segment. Marketing has obviously over-emphasized the difference between a 7.05 oz. and an 8.11 oz. jar. At least the new jar doesn't say it's "DELICUOUS". But there were some other differences that we weren't necessarily expecting.
Main Flavor Elements
- Chili
- Sesame
Snapshot
- Base oil(s):
SoybeanRapeseed - Solids to oil ratio: Moderately high (> 60% per label)
- Flavor Enhancer:
MSGNone listed - Potential allergens: Sesame,
soy, peanut - Storage: Store in cool, dry place; Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
- Heat level: Moderate
- Texture: Mostly sesame seed and chili flake
- Saltiness: Low (540mg. per 46gm.)
The first thing we noticed was that the ingredient list on Amazon, for both the old and new packaging, was vastly different from that on the jar. This, despite the listing reassuring us that nothing but the size had changed. Assuming a listing error, we checked the company website but found the identical list. The new list is rather vague, and had we seen it instead, we might have very well passed on this one. See what we thought we were getting below.
Firstly, it's now rapeseed oil-based, rather than soybean oil. Also absent are peanuts, sugar and MSG. The solids are dense enough to keep the copious sesame seeds mixed in reasonably well. We dislike when they all float to the top and the last half of a jar has virtually none left.
The heat of the pepper doesn't hit right away, but gives more of a low-key afterburn. Nothing in the way of Sichuan pepper numbness, really. If there's any in there, it's not explicitly listed. The label says "Shaanxi specialty", and that north-central province's cuisine and geographical location are both Sichuan adjacent.
Overall, we were largely unimpressed. We were looking forward to a rounder experience the peanut and sugar might have brought, as well as perhaps a bit more umami from some MSG. We're categorizing this one as a chili oil due to the lack of garlic, onion, or actually any of the typical chili crisp umami vectors.
Ingredients
Rapeseed oil, red chili peppers, sesame, edible salt, flavoring essence.
First grade soybean oil, pepper powder, peanut kernel, sesame, edible salt, MSG, sugar, spices.
More Information
Brand: Xi'an Chunhefang Import & Export Co., Ltd. / Chins licKING
Style: Chili oil
Price Paid: $9.99 / 8.11oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website: http://www.qinfoods.com/
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