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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 S&B Crunchy Garlic with Chili Oil – Spicy

We really like the mild version of this S&B Crunchy Garlic with Chili Oil - Spicy, so we hoped making it "spicy" wouldn't ruin what drew us to that other version. Let's check it out.

S&B Crunchy Garlic with Chili Oil - Spicy jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Garlic
  • Chili
  • Onion
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Corn, sesame
  • Solids to oil ratio: High
  • Flavor Enhancer: MSG IMP,GMP
  • Potential allergens: Soy, sesame, wheat
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Moderate
  • Texture: Crunchy
  • Saltiness: Medium (105mg. per 5g.)

We really like the S&B Crunchy Garlic with Chili Oil - Mild version, so we wanted to see what a spicy take on it might be like. As with the other, the slivers of crunchy fried garlic really make the texture here. And other than the elevated heat, we thought everything else was about the same. Fortunately, the extra heat doesn't overwhelm, and actually plays nice with the myriad other ingredients.

On thing we did notice, however, was that the extra heat tends to negate the imaginary peanut flavor of the mild version. Still, we liked it, even though classic taberu rayu isn't supposed to be about the heat.

Ingredients

Corn oil, chili pepper, fried garlic (garlic, palm oil), sesame oil, monosodium glutamate, onion powder, salt, fried onion (onion flake, rice oil), sugar, chili paste (chili pepper, salt, rice), soy sauce powder (soy sauce [soybean, wheat, salt], dextrin, salt), ground sesame, disodium guanylate, disodium inosinate, tocopherols (antioxidant).

More Information

Brand: S&B Foods, Inc.
Style: Taberu rayu
Price paid: $7.49 / 3.88oz.
Country of Origin: Japan
Manufacturer website: https://www.sbfoods-worldwide.com/products/search/036.html
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Published on Leave a comment on NPG Sichuan Chili Crisp

We bought this NPG Sichuan Chili Crisp from Amazon 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
NPG Sichuan Chili Crisp label

Translated, the upper character reads: 红 "hóng, red", the lower 油 "yóu, oil".

Main Flavor Elements
  • Sichuan chili
  • Fermented black bean
  • Peanut and sesame
  • Warm spices
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/chili, 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 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
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Published on Leave a comment on Maya Kaimal Chili Crisp

This Maya Kaimal Chili Crisp came from Whole Foods where it was on sale and at an extra discount for Amazon Prime members. That brought the normal (and somewhat steep) price of $13.99 down to $9.79. We had originally ordered it through Amazon, but it was unfortunately lost in transit. More unfortunate, it would have only been $8.67 that way.

Maya Kaimal Chili Crisp jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Shallot
  • Garlic
  • Specified spices
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Sunflower
  • Solids to oil ratio: Medium
  • Flavor Enhancer: Natural
  • Potential allergens: Sesame, soy(from oil used to fry shallots)
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Low
  • Texture: Moderate crunchiness
  • Saltiness: Low (80mg. per 13gm.)

This Maya Kaimal Chili Crisp is one of the few if not the only chili crisps we've found made in the tarka style. Tarka describes the Indian method of blooming spices like mustard seed and curry leaves with sizzling hot oil, much like the infusion of chili flakes in a chili oil. Maya Kaimal then adds fried shallots, garlic and chili flakes. The result here is a flavor profile including aromatics not typically found in other Asian chili crisps, combined with a subtle level of chili heat.

The texture here is a bit of a contrast. There are larger than usual fried shallots and a moderate amount of sesame seeds. But there is also a good percentage of things we typically characterize as "muddy". Bear in mind we're tasting these products by themselves, so the experience when applied to food will, or should be, different.

We liked that the flavors of the aromatics were forward enough to be able to pick them out over the shallot and chili. We also appreciated the conservative application of sesame seeds, which helped to keep things more in balance. Together, they made this different style infused oil a memorable one.

Ingredients

Sunflower oil, shallots (shallots, highly-refined soybean oil), garlic, Aleppo-style chili flake, red chili flake, sesame seed, brown mustard seed, cane sugar, sea salt, curry leaves, turmeric, star anise.

More Information

Brand: Maya Kaimal Foods, LLC
Style: Tarka
Country of Origin: USA
Manufacturer website: https://www.mayakaimal.com/products/chili-crisp/
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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 Cholula Chili Crisp Sauce

This Cholula Chili Crisp Sauce is a strange one. It's from Mexico, so it should really be called a salsa macha, no? Shouldn't it? We think so.

Cholula Chili Crisp Sauce jar
Cholula Chili Crisp Sauce sample
Main Flavor Elements
  • Chili
  • Garlic
  • Seed nuts
  • Salt
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Sunflower
  • Solids to oil ratio: High
  • Flavor Enhancer: Natural
  • Potential allergens: sesame, sunflower
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Moderate
  • Texture: Nutty crunch
  • Saltiness: Moderate (320mg. per 16gm.)

This one came from Amazon because, unfathomably, we couldn't find it locally. This one is a crunch fest, with sesame seeds, pepitas and sunflower seeds. The chilis take somewhat of a backseat here, but provide enough flavor and heat to be noticed. We particularly liked the inclusion of morita pepper, which we thought made La Anita Salsa Macha - Morita Pepper such a stand-out in its category.

Garlic, onion and unnamed spices round out the seasonings, along with salt, listed as only a moderate 320mg. sodium per tablespoon.

Be aware, however, that salt doesn't dissolve in oil. When you get towards the bottom of the jar, it may seem saltier than when first opened. Because it probably is. The preponderance of nuts and seeds means there is less softer vegetal material to potentially take up the salt, so it will largely settle to the bottom unless intentional measures are taken to mix the contents well before each use. This is especially important with a large jar such as this one, which contains many servings.

At $10 for 8 oz, in the world of this type of condiment, we find it a reasonably good value. Watch for an occasional price drop, though. We got second jar during the Big Spring Sale for a low $6.71.

Ingredients

High oleic sunflower oil, chili peppers (ancho, morita and arbol), garlic, sesame seed, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed, salt, onion, spices and natural flavor.

More Information

Brand: McCormick / Cholula
Style: Chili crisp? (Salsa macha)
Price paid: $9.99 / 8oz.
Country of Origin: Mexico
Manufacturer website: https://www.cholula.com
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Published on Leave a comment on Somos Salsa Macha Mexican Chili Crisp

This Somos Salsa Macha Mexican Chili Crisp came from Whole Foods. It has a bit of an identity problem, or maybe it's just covering all the bases calling itself a salsa macha chili crisp. Or is it a chili crisp salsa macha? It's from Mexico, so we're going to go with salsa macha.

Somos Salsa Macha Mexican Chili Crisp jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Sesame
  • Pepitas
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Avocado
  • Solids to oil ratio: Moderately high
  • Flavor Enhancer: Natural
  • Potential allergens: Sesame
  • Storage: Refrigeration not recommended
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Mild
  • Texture: Sesame seed, pepita and sliced almond crunch
  • Saltiness: Low (15mg. per 5g.)

We could see right away through the clear jar this one was loaded with sesame seeds and pepitas. The pepper content looked powdery and was settled to the bottom of the jar. Some vigorous shaking mixed things back up temporarily.

Even though guajillo and usually-hot chile de arbol pepper are listed, their contribution to the flavor profile is minimal. We also thought it could have been a little saltier.

As salsa macha or chili crisps go, this one doesn't really have much in the way of either the macha or the crisp. But, if you like sesame seeds and pepitas, this one has plenty. For the price, though, we likely won't be buying it again. We'd recommend instead the Cholula as a better value.

Ingredients

Avocado oil, roasted sesame seeds, roasted pumpkin seeds, roasted sliced almonds, garlic, guajillo peppers, sea salt, arbol peppers

More Information

Brand: Somos Amigos, Inc. Austin TX
Style: Salsa Macha
Price paid: $11 / 6oz.
Country of Origin: Mexico
Manufacturer website: eatsomos.com
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