This Super Lucky Elephant Chili Crisp - Lemongrass came from Amazon. We tried the shallots version, and were reasonably impressed. The notion of a lemongrass-forward crunchy oil sounded interesting.
Main Flavor Elements
- Garlic
- Shallot
- Salt
- Sugar
- Lemongrass
Snapshot
- Base oil(s): Rice bran
- Solids to oil ratio: Moderately high (~60%)
- Flavor Enhancer: N/S
- Potential allergens: N/S
- Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
- Heat level: Low
- Texture: Crispy shallots
- Saltiness: Moderately high (480mg. per 30gm.)
As we noted above, we were intrigued by the lemongrass focus. The addition of it, ginger or other fragrant aromatics can do much to elevate an otherwise pedestrian chili oil condiment.
Our expectation was that this version would be substantially similar to the shallots version. Digging down with a spoon, the solids-to-oil ratio is again about 60/40. Even though dried chili pepper is first on the ingredient list, the solids appear to be mostly garlic and fried shallot, in non-uniform pieces. They are crisp and crunchy as expected, and don't possess any of the bitterness often associated with over-frying.
The contribution of chili flavor is again minimal. Any heat it provides lurks just under the surface of the other flavors. There are visible flakes of dried chili, and the ingredients here again include a small amount of bird's eye chili.
The flavor profile is largely garlic and fried shallot, then salt, then sugar. The lemongrass is not as well-represented as we would have hoped, showing up more as a subtle aftertaste. Perhaps it will bloom when actually applied to food.
The rice bran oil base is neutral and clean as anticipated, not interfering of the spare ingredient list. No flavor enhancers present nor do any seem necessary.
We're sticking by our assessment that the lesser amount of dried chili flakes makes it more a crunchy oil. While the fried allium/salt/sugar combination is again well-balanced, we were hoping for more from the promised lemongrass.
A Caveat About Rice Bran Oil
As directed, we refrigerated this one and its shallots counterpart after opening the jars for sampling. When we went back for a re-visit of each, the oil had congealed into an orange, sort-of pudding consistency gel. We therefore recommend letting this and other rice bran oil-based chili condiments come back to room temperature before consuming.
Ingredients
Rice bran oil, dried red chili, fried garlic, lemongrass, salt, sugar, fried shallot, bird's eye chili.
More Information
Brand: Otis McAllister, Inc. / Super Lucky Elephant
Style: Crunchy oil
Price paid: $9.99 / 6.7oz.
Country of Origin: Thailand
Manufacturer website:
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