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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:
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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 MW Polar Crunchy Garlic Chili Sauce

This MW Polar Crunchy Garlic Chili Sauce came from Amazon. We'd been eyeing it for a while, after being impressed with their Crunchy Black Garlic Chili Crisp. The only thing holding us back was price, normally $7.99 for the small 4oz. jar. A price reduction to $6.70 prompted us to finally pull the trigger. Let's try it out.

MW Polar Crunchy Garlic Chili Sauce jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Garlic
  • Onion
  • Sugar
  • Citric acid
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Soybean
  • Solids to oil ratio: High
  • Flavor Enhancer: Natural
  • Potential allergens: Soy, sesame, wheat
  • Storage: Keep in a cool, dry place
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Moderate
  • Texture: Super crunchy
  • Saltiness: Low (105mg. per 15gm.)

Not too much in the way of aroma from the freshly-opened jar. Oil sometimes has a way of masking all but the most bold ingredients. As we said, it's a small jar, so getting a spoon in deep to mix things up was impossible. Fortunately, the contents looked pretty homogenous, so it wasn't really necessary. You can see how dense the solids are through the glass, and how big a ratio of them there is to the oil.

We could hear and feel the crunch as we dug our spoon in for a taste. And, as expected, it was quite crunchy on the palate. The texture reminded us of many taberu rayu as well as a few other chili crisps, particularly the Mishima Chef Troy's Crunchy Chili Garlic Sauce, whose name, appearance, ingredient list and small jar are all eerily similar. This one however, is superior in the crunch department, and a good deal less sweet. The citric acid gave a note of brightness we thought worked really well.

One last thought: Even though this is a product of China, we're categorizing it as a taberu rayu. It has far more in common with that condiment than it does a chili crsip.

We'll be getting this one again. If you liked the Mishima, and are also a taberu rayu fan, you should check it out.

Ingredients

Soybean oil, garlic, sugar, onion, chili, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, yeast extract, citric acid, paprika extract.

More Information

Brand: MW Polar
Style: Chili crisp
Price Paid: $6.70 / 4.03oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website: https://mwpolar.com/products/polar-crunchy-garlic-chili-sauce-4-03-oz-multiple-pack-sizes-available
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Published on Leave a comment on Zhongba Sichuan Chili Crisp

This Zhongba Sichuan Chili Crisp came from Amazon. Our criteria for purchasing it included the intriguing ingredients and the interesting graphics of the label, whose only English language verbiage was, "Chuan Xiang You Lazi" or, translated, "Sichuan style chili oil".

Zhongba Sichuan Chili Crisp jar

Above the wealth god image, the simplified Chinese 送 财 添 味 translates as "sending wealth and adding flavor", i.e. just marketing jargon.

Main Flavor Elements
  • Chili
  • Peanut
  • Sesame
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Rapeseed
  • Solids to oil ratio: Moderately high
  • Flavor Enhancer: MSG
  • Potential allergens: Peanut, soy, sesame
  • Storage: Keep in cool, dry place
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Moderate
  • Texture: Nutty crunch
  • Saltiness: Medium (468mg. per 30gm.)

The aroma is promising, subtly nutty. And no wonder, as it has peanuts, sesame, soybean and peas. The chili pepper heat and flavor are well-integrated with the rest of the ingredients, not overshadowing them. We thought we detected a note of some kind of chicken bouillon powder, but it does not appear among the ingredients. The sugar rounds out the flavor profile but doesn't make the overall impression one of sweetness. The MSG also seems judiciously-applied, letting the rest of the ingredients supply the majority of the umami. Were were puzzled by the absence of Sichuan pepper, but in all honesty, didn't miss it in this case.

This one was a pleasant surprise, for both its texture and balanced flavor. We'd get it again.

We had a hard time nailing down the ingredients list. We went back and forth over one item. The Amazon listing said it contains fermented soybean, even going so far as to call it by its Chinese name, "douchi". But we didn't detect the character of it at all. Instead, we relied on a Google Lens translation of the label, that merely said "soybeans", which seemed more accurate to us. But then we went back into the jar for a forensic examination. Turns out there are indeed fermented soybeans in there, but they're smaller, crunchier and saltier than those we've experienced in the past, the Lao Gan Ma Chili Oil with Fermented Soybeans being our frame of reference.

Ingredients

Rapeseed oil, chili pepper, peas, peanuts, fermented soybeans (douchi), edible salt, white sugar, sesame seeds, monosodium glutamate, spices, paprika, food flavoring.

More Information

Brand: Sichuan Qingxiangyuan Seasoning Co, Ltd.
Style: Chili crisp
Price Paid: $9.99 / 6.35oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website:
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Published on Leave a comment on MW Polar Crunchy Black Garlic Chili Crisp

This MW Polar Crunchy Black Garlic Chili Crisp came from Amazon. We were familiar with the MW Polar brand mainly from its tinned fish products. Our satisfaction with them led us to hope we'd like this chili crisp product as well. Did we know what black garlic was? No, but it made it sound all the more intriguing. Let's see if we were right.

MW Polar Crunchy Black Garlic Chili Crisp jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Garlic
  • Onion
  • Sugar
  • Soy sauce
  • Citric acidity
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Soybean
  • Solids to oil ratio: High
  • Flavor Enhancer: Yeast extract
  • Potential allergens: Soy, wheat, sesame
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Moderate
  • Texture: Thick and al dente
  • Saltiness: Moderate (310mg. per 15gm.)

The $10.99 price we paid has been steady since its introduction on Amazon about three months ago. We now see the waters are being tested with it being priced at a little over $12.

The initial aroma upon opening the jar was promising. Digging in to stir it up revealed how thick and chunky it is. A very high solids to oil ratio, which we like. There's a fine, crispy crunch to it, reminiscent in some ways of one or more Japanese taberu rayu we've had in the past. But the texture is also pleasantly al dente. As expected, it is very garlic forward, also a plus. The rest of the ingredients are well-balanced, and we liked the subtle hint of vinegary tang provided by the citric acid.

There's just a fascinating complexity to the flavor profile that we couldn't stop tasting. The garlic's not in-your-face, the onion doesn't dominate, the sugar isn't too sweet, the chili doesn't blank your palate, and the soy sauce adds umami without shouting, "Hey, it's me, soy sauce!"

Overall, we were pleasantly surprised by how much there was to like about this one. The only questions left are, "Can we find it cheaper?" and, "Do we get two more jars or three?" Don't pass this one up.

Ingredients

Soybean oil, garlic, black garlic, onion, sugar, chili, sesame oil, salt, soy sauce (water, soybeans, salt, wheat, sugar, yeast extract), yeast extract, citric acid, paprika extract.

Here's what we found out about black garlic:

Black garlic is regular garlic that has been aged in a warm, humid environment, causing it to turn black with a sweet, savory, and tangy flavor, and a soft, chewy texture, similar to balsamic or molasses. This fermentation process, known as the Maillard reaction, removes the pungent bite of raw garlic, making it rich in antioxidants and popular in cooking for sauces, marinades, and spreads. 

Flavor and texture
  • Taste: Sweet, tangy, and savory with notes of balsamic, molasses, and caramel, lacking the sharp bite of raw garlic. 
  • Texture: Soft, chewy, and jelly-like, often compared to fudge. 
How it's made
  • Fresh garlic is aged at high temperatures (around 140°F/60°C) and humidity for several weeks. 
  • This slow process causes the cloves to turn black and develop their unique flavor and texture. 
Culinary uses
  • Can be used whole, minced, or pureed.
  • Adds depth to sauces, marinades, vinaigrettes, and pasta dishes.
  • Can be spread on bread like butter.
  • Can be ground into a powder for seasoning. 
Potential benefits

Rich in antioxidants, May help lower cholesterol and triglycerides, and May help lower blood pressure. 

Considerations
  • People on blood-thinning or blood pressure-lowering medications should use caution, as black garlic may enhance their effects. 
More Information

Brand: MW Polar
Style: Chili crisp
Price Paid: $10.99 / 7oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website: https://mwpolar.com/products/polar-crunchy-black-garlic-chili-crisp-7oz-multiple-pack-sizes
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Published on Leave a comment on Momoya Chili Oil with Fried Garlic

Momoya Chili Oil with Fried Garlic is from Japan and made in the taberu rayu style. It's often sold without additional labeling in English, so getting an idea of what it's about up front can be somewhat difficult. The head of garlic and the chili pepper on the label give a clue, but there's a lot more than meets the eye here. We got this one from Amazon.

Momoya Chili Oil with Fried Garlic jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Garlic
  • Sugar
  • Sesame
  • Onion
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Rapeseed, sesame
  • Solids to oil ratio: High
  • Flavor Enhancer: No Yes
  • Potential allergens: Wheat, sesame, soybean
  • Storage: Store away from direct sunlight. Refrigerate after opening.
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Low
  • Texture: Crunchy
  • Saltiness: Low (256mg. per 16gm.)

It's not too salty, if both our calculations and what our tastebuds are telling us are correct. The translation of the nutritional information isn't in the standard format.

One look at the ingredients, and you'll see there's a lot going on in there. So much, in fact, it's difficult to isolate the individual components from a sample tasting. Suffice it to say, however, they have a synergy that works quite well.

We appreciated the high solids to oil ratio, and the satisfying level of crunchiness. And we definitely liked how, similar to the S&B, it has a peanut-y character without actually containing any peanuts. Definitely going to switch out peanut sauce for this one, the next time we have spring rolls.

A little pricey at around $8 for 3.88 oz, but we think worth it.

Update: The latest jar we obtained now has ingredients listed in English. We had previously used Google Lens to translate the Japanese on the jar itself. While many ingredients are the same, just worded differently, two glaring differences stood out. One, the addition of MSG, and two, the deletion of a seasoning and an antioxidant.

Ingredients

Edible rapeseed oil, fried garlic, edible sesame oil, chili pepper, fried onions, MSG, sugar, salt, chili miso paste (contains soybeans), paprika, ground sesame, onion powder, powdered soy sauce (contains wheat), powdered chili miso paste, seasoning (amino acid), antioxidant (vitamin E).

More Information

Brand: Momoya
Style: Taberu rayu
Price paid: $7.77 / 3.88oz.
Country of Origin: Japan
Manufacturer website: https://www.momoya.co.jp
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Published on Leave a comment on JHC Ground Chili with Fried Garlic

This JHC Ground Chili with Fried Garlic was found at that same cross-town Asian market. We were browsing several other sections of the store to see what other products similar to chili crisp were available. Looking through the jar, it appears to be a chili crisp-type product. Upon opening and trying it, we found it's not crispy at all. But it has qualities we liked, and so we've decided to include it here. For now, let's call it chili crisp adjacent.

JHC Ground Chili with Fried Garlic jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Chili
  • Garlic
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Soybean
  • Solids to oil ratio: High
  • Flavor Enhancer: MSG
  • Potential allergens: Soy, shrimp (produced in a facility that uses peanut, sesame, fish and crustacean shellfish)
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening, use within 30 days.
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: High
  • Texture: Soft, a coarse paste
  • Saltiness: Low (110mg per 15gm.)

If you like it hot, this one's for you. As we said, this product of Thailand is chili crisp adjacent. It's actually what should be called Nam Prik Pao, a classic Thai chili condiment. There's a texture to it, albeit a soft one. The oil and solids do separate somewhat, so a little stir before use is in order. We called it a coarse paste, but it's not homogenous enough to really be one. Maybe more like "pulp in oil".

The lemongrass is subtle, but it's there, adding a certain something to the heat. We can only guess the shrimp is included for a bonito flake-ish umami, but it's hard to detect over the heat and garlic.

The heat lingers long in the mouth, with a slight sichuan peppercorn-like numbing on the lips. Similarly, it also induces the scalp perspiration that hot chilies are known for. Be careful with this one, it can sneak up on you. You've been warned!

Ingredients

Soybean oil, garlic, chili, shallot, water, lemongrass, MSG, sugar, salt, dried shrimp, paprika color.

More Information

Brand: JHC / Jack Hua Co. Ltd.
Style: Ground chili with fried garlic
Price paid: $3.49 / 7oz.
Country of Origin: Thailand
Manufacturer website: https://j-limited.com
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Published on Leave a comment on Trader Joe’s Crunchy Chili Onion

This Trader Joe's Crunchy Chili Onion was purchased at the same time as their salsa macha. We didn't think that jar was truly representative of the condiment, as it was mostly nuts and seeds in oil, with little chili heat. This jar however, comes closer to a real chili crisp, and, curiously, doesn't choose to call itself that. Let's see what it tastes like.

Main Flavor Elements
  • Onion
  • Garlic
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Olive
  • Solids to oil ratio: High
  • Flavor Enhancer: Natural
  • Potential allergens: N/S
  • Storage: Keep in a cool, dry place
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Low
  • Texture: Crunchy
  • Saltiness: Low (150mg. per 18gm.)

As expected, the primary flavor profile favors the garlic and onion. The level of crunch is satisfactory, at least for a product without nuts. The heat sits nicely in the background, keeping things warm and spicy. Even though listed as somewhat low, we found the saltiness acceptable.

We couldn't help thinking that if only this jar had more chili pepper flakes, it should be the one TJ's calls salsa macha.

Of the two Trader Joe's offerings, we preferred this one for the added heat. And at $4.49 a jar, it doesn't break the bank.

Ingredients

Olive oil, dried onions, dried garlic, dried red bell peppers, crushed chili peppers, toasted dried onions, sea salt, natural flavors, paprika oleoresin (color).

More Information

Brand: Trader Joe's
Style: Crunchy oil
Price Paid: $4.49 / 6oz.
Country of Origin: USA
Manufacturer website:
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Published on Leave a comment on Mishima Chef Troy’s Recipe Crunchy Garlic Chili Sauce

From Thailand, Mishima Chef Troy's Recipe Crunchy Garlic Chili Sauce is made in the taberu rayu style, heavy on the garlic and the aromatic solids. It was purchased from Amazon after reading favorable reviews elsewhere.

Main Flavor Elements
  • Garlic
  • Onion
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Chili
  • Soy Sauce
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Soybean, sesame
  • Solids to oil ratio: High
  • Flavor Enhancer: Natural
  • Potential allergens: Soy, wheat, sesame
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Mild
  • Texture: More chewy than crunchy
  • Saltiness: Moderate (350 mg. per 15 gm.)

We liked Mishima Chef Troy's Recipe Crunchy Garlic Chili Sauce a lot. It checks multiple savory and umami flavor boxes. The various components are well-balanced and play together nicely. If we had to quibble about anything it would be that 1) it's relatively expensive for what you get, the smallish 4 oz. jar averages around $8 if purchased individually, and 2) the small jar mouth makes re-mixing the solids difficult.

Ingredients

Soybean oil, garlic, sesame oil, onion, sugar, salt, chili, soy sauce, yeast extract, citric acid, paprika extract.

More Information

Brand: Mishima Foods
Style: Taberu rayu
Price paid: $6.79 / 4oz.
Country of Origin: Thailand
Manufacturer website: https://mishima.com/
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