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Published on Leave a comment on Chingonas Salsa Macha

This Chingonas Salsa Macha came from a local gourmet catering/retail operation we'd seen online. The ingredients sounded intriguing, including some spices we're not used to seeing in a salsa macha. Despite the hefty $12.99 price, we decided to see what it was about.

Chingonas Salsa Macha jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Chili
  • Peanut and sesame
  • Onion and garlic
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Rice bran
  • Solids to oil ratio: High
  • Flavor Enhancer: Mushroom powder
  • Potential allergens: Peanut, sesame
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Moderate
  • Texture: Crunchy in the best way
  • Saltiness: High (1gm. per 13gm.)

The solids to oil ratio is a bit higher than the stock photo found online would seem to indicate. Upon close inspection, the oil content is much further down the list than any we've seen. But that's OK with us. The crunchier, the better.

What initially caught our eye was cumin, ginger and black pepper, and all being high on the list and ahead of even the sesame and peanut. Onion and garlic bring up the rear.

Salsa machas typically don't contain MSG or similar flavor enhancers, relying more on the combination of chiles, nuts, seeds, onion and garlic to provide plenty of flavor on their own. That's why we found mushroom powder, more often seen in new wave chili crisps, to be an unusual addition.

Digging in, the solids predominate, and we could tell from the sound of the spoon struggling to dive deep to stir things up it was going to be the crunch we were looking for. It didn't require much mixing, though, what with the oil content being so low. Any lower and it would be a salsa seca.

The first taste was a revelation. The chile heat is forward but not overpowering, and it lingers on the finish. The flavor of the crushed peanut, sesame seeds, alliums and seasonings are all in wonderful balance. And so is the texture, with all the solids sized close together, letting every spoonful consistently represent all aspects of the recipe while delivering a satisfying crunch. A big thumbs-up to both.

If we had any quibble, it's the salt. We disbelieved the label claim of 1gm. per 13gm. serving. That's quite high, with 300-400mg. per serving more the norm. Initially, we didn't perceive it as all that salty, but, when giving it a second assessment, agreed the label might be correct. In any case, condiments aren't made to be consumed directly (although we are guilty of it from time to time), so its typical addition to food should not make it a problem.

While we initially thought the $12.99 was a little spendy, we see it to be in line with the average price across online vendors. After tasting it, we'd say it's worth it.

Ingredients

Dried chilis, cumin, mushroom powder, ginger, black pepper, kosher salt, sugar, peanuts, sesame seeds, rice bran oil, shallots, garlic.

More Information

Brand: Red Table Management / Chingonas
Style: Salsa macha
Price paid: $12.99 / 6oz.
Country of Origin: USA
Manufacturer website:
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Published on Leave a comment on Fanpi Brothers Spicy Bell Pepper Sauce

When is a chili crisp not a chili crisp? When it's Fanpi Brothers Spicy Bell Pepper Sauce, sold on Amazon described as "Chili Crisp Hot Sauce, 8.75oz Jar, Authentic Chinese Spicy Sauce Condiment". We're always looking for new chili crisps to try. And, at a discounted price off the regular $14.99 for a nearly 9oz. jar, we were willing to take a chance. Caveat emptor.

Fanpi Brothers Spicy Bell Pepper Sauce jar
Fanpi Brothers Spicy Bell Pepper Sauce label
Main Flavor Elements
  • Hot pepper
  • Garlic
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Rapeseed
  • Solids to oil ratio: High
  • Flavor Enhancer: MSG
  • Potential allergens: Peanut, sesame
  • Storage: Store in cool, dry place, refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Extremely high
  • Texture: Jarred Mexican pico de gallo
  • Saltiness: Moderate (390mg. per 15gm.)

After we opened the jar, to great disappointment, we searched and found the product described differently. One, as "Hunan-style Spicy Bell Pepper Sauce, Garlic Chili Sauce, and Chopped Chili Sauce". Elsewhere, it's called "Colorful Pepper Sauce", with which our translation of the label concurred. This is a more accurate depiction of what this product is, essentially a Chinese version of a Mexican salsa, and a hot one at that.

No toasted dried pepper flakes. Sadly, no crunch. None of the usual alliums besides garlic. No chili-infused red tint to the oil. All the peppers are soft as if pickled, having only a little raw vegetable crispness. Bottom line: Not a chili crisp.

There might have been potential here for some chili oil-adjacent use, but the bird's eye chili heat was really all we could taste. It totally obscured any of the other seasoning ingredients. The label indicates it's intended for use with rice dishes. We might be able to salvage it by using it as a cooking seasoning, somewhere we can tone down the-over-the-top heat.

We used a translation app to discover the ingredients and other info. The label is entirely in Chinese with the add-on English labeling giving only the nutritional breakdown.

Ingredients

Bird's eye chili, green chili, yellow chili, rapeseed oil, garlic, ginger, crushed peanuts, sesame seed, spices, salt, sugar, MSG, compound seasoning.

More Information

Brand: Fanpi Brothers
Style: Hunan bell pepper sauce
Price Paid: $12.52 / 8.75oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website:
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Published on Leave a comment on Chuan Wa Zi Classic Chili Sauce

This Chuan Wa Zi Classic Chili Sauce was purchased at one of our local Asian markets, where it appeared to be a new item. It's a store with a vast selection of sauces and condiments, so we just may not have noticed it until now. At $3.99 for an 8oz. jar, we couldn't resist trying something different.

Chuan Wa Zi Classic Chili Sauce jar
Chuan Wa Zi Classic Chili Sauce label

Although in a stylized font, the label reads: 辣 "là, spicy, hot", 椒 "jiāo, Sichuan peppercorn", 酱 "jiàng, sauce". Below the Wa! logo, 川娃子 means "chuān, Sichuan", "wá, child", "zi, son", or effectively, "Son of Sichuan", a term which became part of a patriotic rallying cry after a devastating 2008 earthquake. We couldn't find an image online that matched the label design of our jar. Periodic "refreshing" of product packaging seems to be a recurring theme among Chinese food products.

Main Flavor Elements
  • Chili pepper
  • Garlic
  • Aromatic spices
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Rapeseed, soybean
  • Solids to oil ratio: Moderately high (>60% per label)
  • Flavor Enhancer: MSG, IMP
  • Potential allergens: Soy, sesame, peanut*
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Medium
  • Texture: Sesame seeds and chili flakes
  • Saltiness: Moderate (350mg. per 15gm.)

If you like sesame seeds, this one has plenty, and they are the primary texture driver, on par with the chili flakes we'd say. The chili is still a little toothsome, maintaining a reasonable degree of toasted crispness.

There's a lot going on here ingredient-wise, and it seems to have a good balance of everything. The chili heat is omnipresent, with a moderate mount of mala numbing from the Sichuan peppercorn*. There's some sugar content, but we didn't necessarily find it sweet. The rest of the flavoring elements-- garlic, ginger, onion, unnamed spices-- have an interesting synergy. It's hard to single any of them out individually, but together it all works.

It's a little on the salty side, not unusual for this type of condiment, but we didn't find it as salty as some.

We're going to go ahead and categorize this one as a chili crisp. The solids are sufficiently al dente, and there's a good amount of allium.

Ingredients Roulette

Here we go again with add-on label ingredients vs. translations of online lists. Our jar's add-on label states what's in the section down below. Being mindful that this is a Chinese domestic market product whose original label contains no English, and therefore must have a label translating nutritional and ingredient info for US sale.

Online, at a vendor site, we found: "Rapeseed oil, chili peppers (>15%), sesame seed, peanuts, Sichuan peppercorns, MSG, salt, onion, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, spices, white sugar, chili oleoresin, paprika oleoresin, edible flavoring." That listing also boasts a far lower sodium content of 159mg. per 15gm.

Chuan Wa Zi Classic Chili Sauce label translation

But, since the jar we purchased was encased in a plastic membrane seal, we were able to remove the add-on label without damage to the jar label. Using Google Lens to translate what was found underneath, we have: "Rapeseed oil, soybean oil, chili peppers (>15%), salt, garlic, sesame seed, Sichuan peppercorn oil, refined seasonings, MSG, white sugar, ginger, onion, yeast, compound seasoning, spices, edible flavorings, DL-malic acid, disodium 5`-inosinate." Note that there is no mention of peanuts, and there are no peanut allergen warnings on this label. *We're also pretty sure what we tasted contains Sichuan peppercorn, which the add-on label does not include, Plus, it's right there in the name of the product..

Most frustrating in all this, is the fact that the manufacturer website doesn't even mention the product. Could it be discontinued?

Ingredients

Per add-on label: Rapeseed oil, soybean oil, chili peppers, salt, garlic, sesame seed, pepper oil, MSG, sugar, ginger, onion, flavored yeast extract, spice, food flavorings, disodium 5'-presenting nucleotide, DL-malic acid.

More Information

Brand: Chuan Wa Zi
Style: Chili crisp
Price Paid: $3.99 / 8.13oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website: https://www.sccwz.com/
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Published on Leave a comment on Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp – Xtra Spicy

We received this FlyByJing Sichuan Chili Crisp - Xtra Spicy as part of a bundle containing a jar each of the four original FBJ chili crisps/sauces from Amazon. Our expectation was just a hotter version of the Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp – Original, but we found it to be more than that.

FlyByJing Sichuan Chili Crisp - Xtra Spicy jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Chili pepper
  • Sichuan pepper
  • Fermented soybean
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Rapeseed, soybean
  • Solids to oil ratio: Moderate (50-60%)
  • Flavor Enhancer: Natural
  • Potential allergens: Soy, sesame
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: High
  • Texture: Al dente/fine solids
  • Saltiness: Medium (65mg. per 5g.)

We were impressed. This could easily have been just the Original version with some extra chili heat and Sichuan pepper mala numbing, but FBJ appears to have made it more than that. The texture is slightly more coarse, but still not anything approaching crisp or crunchy. The fermented soybean takes on a larger role, even though its position in the order of ingredients remains unchanged. Although the majority of the solids are still muddy, there seems to be more of them, with the shallot being more readily apparent.

If there's one word we could say to compare it to the original version, it would be "more". Everything in the original is here, flavor-wise, just dialed-up about 20%. So, to sum up, if the original version seems tame to you, try this one. It's more in keeping with the flavor sensibilities of traditional Asian market-style Sichuan chili oil condiments.

Ingredients

Non-GMO rapeseed oil, non-GMO soybean oil, dried chili pepper, fermented soybean (soybeans, water, salt, rice flour, spices), garlic, shallots, mushroom powder, ginger, sesame oil, salt, Sichuan pepper, seaweed powder, spices.

More Information

Brand: Fly By Jing
Style: Sichuan Chili crisp
Price paid: $8.75 / 6oz. (4 jar bundle)
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website: https://flybyjing.com/products/xtra-spicy-chili-crisp
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Published on Leave a comment on Chef Shu Chili Oil Sauce

This Chef Shu Chili Oil Sauce also came from that new Asian Market. It was another one new to us, and its ingredient list looked promising. Yes, the label does say "Chili Oli Sauce". Let's see how it tastes.

Chef Shu Chili Oil Sauce jar

The characters to the left of the logo read:  油 "yóu, oil", 泼 "pō, poured" or together 油泼 "yóu pō = oil poured over ingredients (like chili), 辣 "là, spicy, hot", 子 "zǐ, seeds or fruit, i.e the peppers"

Main Flavor Elements
  • Chili
  • Sesame
  • Peanut
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Canola, sesame
  • Solids to oil ratio: Moderately high
  • Flavor Enhancer: MSG
  • Potential allergens: Sesame, peanut, may contain wheat
  • Storage: Keep away from direct sunlight, in a cool, dry place
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Moderate
  • Texture: Sesame seeds and fine chili flake
  • Saltiness: Low (25mg. per 15gm.)

This jar was made to travel. Rather than a plastic shrink seal around the lid, the entire jar is encased in one. Smart. We've all encountered a leaky jar of chili crisp a time or two.

There are a lot of sesame seeds here, and together with the warm, slow-burn chili heat, they dominate the flavor. There's enough oil to allow a good portion of them to float up to the surface, so mix well.

There's a bit of málà numbing from the Sichuan pepper, but the onion, ginger and garlic are mostly subdued in the mix. The peanut is coarsely ground, and, going by the order of ingredients, we thought there would be more of it. We didn't get any real sense of sweetness from the sugar. The paprika we suspect is more for color.

No real complaint to be made here. $3.99 for a big 8oz. jar is a bargain for a more than serviceable chili oil. Despite its relatively high ratio of solids to oil, we're somewhat on the fence about characterizing it as a chili crisp.

Compare to Liu Po Spicy Red Oil.

Ingredients

Canola oil, chili, sesame, peanut, Sichuan pepper, MSG, salt, onion, ginger, sesame oil, spices, sugar, paprika oleoresin, paprika, artificial flavor .

More Information

Brand: Well Luck Co. / Chef Shu
Style: Chili oil
Price Paid: $3.99 / 8.1oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website:
Social media:

Published on Leave a comment on Hot Crispy Oil – Original

This Hot Crispy Oil - Original was found at Home Goods, which sometimes has a stray jar or two of such condiments. It was priced at $9.99 with the notation "compare at $13.00". We've found the comparison prices there to often be inflated above what a product typically sells for, and sometimes even the sale price is no better than purchasing through the item's regular channels. An online search in this case found a prevailing price of $14.99 at Amazon, so, apparently, we did OK.

Hot Crispy Oil - Original jar
Hot Crispy Oil - Original label
Main Flavor Elements
  • Garlic
  • Onion
  • Chili pepper
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Olive
  • Solids to oil ratio: Moderately high
  • Flavor Enhancer: N/S
  • Potential allergens: N/S
  • Storage: Store in cool, dry place
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Moderate
  • Texture: Large, crispy solids
  • Saltiness: Very low (50mg. per 14gm.)

We could see through the glass the solids were huge. Slivers of garlic and slices of shallot, not just small chopped up pieces. They had settled to the bottom two thirds of the jar, but stirring them up a bit held them in a homogenous suspension long enough to spoon out a portion representative of all the ingredients.

The first taste of a small spoonful was revealing. The chili heat didn't hit until the back of the throat, where at first it seemed a bit mild. We were really amped about the very macro-style solids. The garlic and onion flavors are very forward, but we couldn't help thinking how much more umami they could have brought to the party with the addition of some kind of flavor enhancer, or even just a tad more salt. But they were quite crispy, as the name promises.

With a subsequent spoonful, the chili heat became cumulative, more pronounced, and we had to take a moment to fight off a sneeze attack. We assume consumption with food will mitigate this effect. The label only says "proprietary dried hot chili pepper blend" and "red pepper flakes", but doesn't specify what peppers are involved. We're also led to wonder how much hotter the "Hot" version is.

Cane sugar is listed, but we wouldn't characterize the product as sweet. We thought a little more might have actually gone along way to overcome a slight bitter aftertaste that we attributed to the shallots.

We noted the label indicates ground ginger and cumin, but even though we tried really hard, we weren't able to detect a meaningful contribution from either of them. They're last on the list, so the amounts must be trivial.

Olive oil is an unusual base for chili crisp/chili oil products, and we're not sure how we feel about it. Products including it that we've tried in the past have been "Made in USA", and with a focus on healthier ingredients, no allergens, no artificial flavor enhancers, vegan, etc. They lacked the chili heat of this one, though, so perhaps it was their blandness rather than the olive oil that makes us question its use in this application.

We usually think of chili crisps as having more chili solids than this product. That, and the olive oil lead us put this one in the "new wave" category.

All things considered, we're glad we were able to give this one a try. Is it hot? Yes, somewhat. Is it crispy? Yes, definitely. But we doubt we'll go looking to spend $15 for more of it.

Ingredients

Olive oil, fried garlic, fried shallots, proprietary dried hot chili pepper blend, red pepper flakes, cane sugar, paprika, salt, ground ginger, cumin

More Information

Brand: Hot Crispy Oil, LLC
Style: New wave
Price paid: $9.99 / 6oz.
Country of Origin: USA
Manufacturer website: https://hotcrispyoil.com/products/hotcrispyoil-hot-chili-garlic-oil
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Published on Leave a comment on Cuihong Sichuan Red Chili Crunch

This Cuihong Sichuan Red Chili Crunch* came from Amazon, where we just happened to stumble across it. Preliminary information was confusing but we decided to get it anyway. We thought the $9.80 paid for a 7.05oz. jar seemed reasonable. That asterisk after the "crunch" we'll get to in a minute.

Cuihong Sichuan Red Chili Crunch jar

The characters read: 红 "hóng, red, chili", 油 "yóu, oil", 拌 "bàn, mix, for mixing", 菜 "cài, vegetable", 料 "liào, seasoning, condiment". Our research indicates the product is intended as a topping for cold salads or noodles.

Main Flavor Elements
  • Chili
  • Ginger
  • Garlic
  • Sesame
  • Sichuan peppercorn
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Rapeseed
  • Solids to oil ratio: Medium
  • Flavor Enhancer: IMP,GMP
  • Potential allergens: Sesame
  • Storage: Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Moderate
  • Texture: Soupy
  • Saltiness: Low (246mg. per 16gm.)

The first thing we noticed when we went to stir it up, besides the somewhat lower than expected solids-to-oil ratio, was how chunky it wasn't. The oil is a deep red color, but it's from chili powder, not chili flakes, of which none are listed. There are solids in the way of sesame seeds, garlic, scallion and perhaps ginger, but they are mostly soft, puzzling for a product that the vendor calls a "chili crunch". A good deal of the non-oil ingredients appear in the form of a dark sediment.

Coincidentally, online reviews also complain about the missing "crunch", and we've come to think that the word was added to the Amazon description when it didn't necessarily apply.

Some other online vendors call this one "Red Hot Chili Sauce" or "Mixed Ingredient Red Chili Oil", the latter of which seems to be a somewhat literal rendition of the main verbiage on the jar, similar to our translation above.

Lack of actual crunch aside, we did like the flavor. The aromatics blend nicely, with the ginger presenting forwardly. In combination with the other ingredients, it gives the impression of lemongrass. The citric acid brings a brightness, and we're assuming it may be a stand-in for Chinese black vinegar. There's just enough Sichuan peppercorn to bring some heat and that numbing effect for which it's known.

We decided to take the tasting a step further and mixed a teaspoon or so into about a half cup of warm rice. The flavor just kind of bloomed, and for a moment we forgot all about the lack of crunch.

Anyway, if you can forgive the lack of texture (or the perhaps deceptive description of it), the flavors here work really well, and in a not-overpowering way.

Some Other Caveats

Now for a minor complaint. The jar we received was dated like many Chinese products, not with an expiration date, but with a date of production. There will typically be a statement to use or consume by anywhere from a year to 18 months from that date. The jar we received in April 2026 was dated June 2025. A such, that left us with only two months remaining of the stated 12 month shelf life. Any closer, or past that date, obviously, and we would normally file a dispute with the vendor for a refund.

This one was a real puzzler re: ingredients. Were the discrepancies we found old vs. new formula, or Chinese vs. export formula? Or were they flat out wrong in some cases? We know there was an update to the packaging, as what we received did not match the image of the jar in the listing. Heck, different exporters can't even agree on what to name it. We must ultimately settle on what the label on the jar we received says, and just issue a caveat that you should check the jar you purchase before consuming.

Ingredients

Rapeseed oil, chili powder, sesame, salt, garlic, ginger, scallion, Sichuan peppercorn, sugar, spices, culinary herbs, disodium 5'-ribonucleotide, citric acid.

More Information

Brand: Sichuan Cuihong Food Co., Ltd.
Style: Chili oil
Price Paid: $9.80 / 7.05oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website: https://www.sichuancuihong.com/freely/25/16.html
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Published on Leave a comment on NPG Sichuan Chili Oil

While this NPG Sichuan Chili Oil doesn't say "chili crisp" on the label, it certainly seems to qualify as one. NPG does, in fact make a product they call Sichuan Chili Crisp, but it is labeled as being milder than this one. Normally $11.99, we paid $8.48 on sale at Amazon.

NPG Sichuan Chili Oil jar
NPG Sichuan Chili Oil sample

The upper characters translate as: 拌 "bàn, mix, for mixing", 菜 "cài, vegetables, salad". The lower characters read: 红 "hóng, red", 油 "yóu, oil".

Literal: red oil

Main Flavor Elements
  • Sichuan chili
  • Complex aromatics
  • To a lesser extent, peanut and sesame
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Soybean
  • Solids to oil ratio: Very high
  • Flavor Enhancer: MSG
  • Potential allergens: Soy, sesame
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Moderately high
  • Texture: Thick and chewy
  • Saltiness: Moderate (205mg. per 15gm.)

This one is super thick and chewy. According to the label, it shouldn't be. There seems to be nothing in the first few ingredients on the list to support how coarse and plentiful are the chili-like solids here. However, further research reveals that pixian broad bean paste, a condiment unto its own, is made with a fair amount of chili pepper. So, what we're getting texturally must be the the skins of those beans and the chilis used to make it.

Peanut and sesame seed are listed, but they aren't visually apparent, nor easily identifiable on the palate. Only under close inspection are they revealed.

The application of Sichuan pepper is even-handed. The numbing effect it's known for isn't flagrant, and its spice works well with other, aromatic components. Together, there is a fragrant, floral, fruity heat that makes this one quite special. Did we just use the word flagrant in one sentence and the word fragrant in the next? Yes. Yes, we did.

At this point, we're going to backtrack a bit. Based on the lack of onion, shallot or actual soybean, we're going to rethink considering this one a chili crisp, and let the chili oil designation stand. But that doesn't mean we didn't like it.

Note to salsa macha lovers. If you like the La Anita Salsa Macha - Morita Pepper, you definitely need to try this one.

Ingredients

Soybean oil, pixian broad bean paste, soy sauce, vinegar, peanut, ginger, garlic, sesame seed, sichuan pepper, sichuan chili, salt, sugar, MSG, spices

More Information

Brand: NPG / Natural Plus Green
Style: Chili crisp
Price paid: $8.48 / 7oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website: https://www.naturalplusgreen.com
Social media:

Published on Leave a comment on Liu Po Spicy Red Oil

Information about this Liu Po Spicy Red Oil is tough to nail down. It came from a local Asian market. The label is entirely in Chinese, so an English label with nutritional information is attached. That label lists the importer, but nothing as to brand name or the official name of the product. Google Lens was of some help revealing the lid says "Sixth Po", but it was a real chore to track down the brand name "Liu Po", often alternately stated as "Liupo".

To make matters worse, there has been a revision of the logo, and we're not really sure if the even more-cartoonish logo image seen elsewhere is newer or older than this one. We suspect this might be older, as the best by date is only 8 months away.

Liu Po Spicy Red Oil jar

The characters "六婆" on the logo translate as the brand name Liu Po, which means "Sixth Granny". The characters on the yellow banner at bottom read:  拌 "bàn, mix, for mixing", 菜 "cài, vegetable", 红 "hóng, red, chili", 油 "yóu, oil".

Main Flavor Elements
  • Garlic
  • Onion
  • Green onion
  • Sichuan pepper
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Rapeseed (canola)
  • Solids to oil ratio: Moderately low
  • Flavor Enhancer: MSG IMP,GMP
  • Potential allergens: Sesame, soy
  • Storage: N/S "Consume as soon as possible after opening" (We recommend refrigerating)
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Moderately high
  • Texture: Mixed medium and fine solids
  • Saltiness: Medium (160mg. per 10gm.)

It was hard to get a feel of the texture of this one when purchased. The label obscures quite a bit of the contents. We could see sesame seeds afloat at the top of the oil, and what appeared to be about 30% solids by volume. The stock photo of the jar makes it look chunkier than it actually is. We define this one as more of a chili oil than a chili crisp.

Once we got the jar open, we found the solids to be a combo of flakes and finer bits that really required a good stirring to get them all somewhat homogenous before serving. This means really digging down with a spoon, stirring and dispensing the desired amount quickly, and re-stirring each time more is scooped out in order to maintain the ratio of ingredients throughout the consumption of the jar.

One online vendor we found calls this "Spicy Red Oil for Salads", coinciding with the translation above. And we'd have to agree its taste and texture would be great on cold dishes likes salads, and even on cold noodles. It has a nice balance of umami and a level of Sichuan heat that doesn't overwhelm.

Google Lens translates the original Chinese label as "Chili Oil for Mixed Vegetables". Its translation of the ingredients also contradicts that of the add-on English label. We'll defer to the applied label in this case.

Ingredients

Rapeseed oil, chili, salt, water, MSG, garlic, ginger, pepper, green onion, onion, pepper oil, spices, roasted sesame, yeast extract, brewing soy sauce, brewing vinegar, sugar, Disodium 5'-ribonucleotide, FD&C red #40, edible essence, citric acid.

More Information

Brand: Chengdu Liupo Catering Co., Ltd. / Liu Po
Style: Chili Oil
Price paid: $4.49 / 7.8oz.
Country of Origin: China, importer Apollo Food International, Inc. Brooklyn, NY
Manufacturer website:
Social media:

Published on Leave a comment on Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp – Original

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. The "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. We got this one from Amazon.

Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp current label
Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp - Original sample
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): Rapeseed, soybean
  • Solids to oil ratio: Medium
  • Flavor Enhancer: Natural
  • Potential allergens: Sesame, soy
  • 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 among 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.

The flavor profile is quite complex. In addition to the up-front Sichuan chili heat, the black bean, garlic, shallots, ginger and other unnamed spices provide a panorama of palate pleasers.

Ingredients

Non-GMO rapeseed oil, non-GMO soybean oil, dried chili pepper, fermented soybean (soybeans, water, salt, rice flour, spices), garlic, shallots, mushroom powder, ginger, sesame oil, salt, Sichuan pepper, seaweed powder, spices.

More Information
Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp - Original, 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: China
Manufacturer website: https://flybyjing.com/products/sichuan-chili-crisp
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