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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 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 Lee Kum Kee Chili Crisp – Smoky

This Lee Kum Kee Chili Crisp - Smoky was found at a new-to-us Asian supermarket. We're still searching for the LKK original chili crisp, and cannot fathom why four different local markets don't stock it. We'll try this one in the meantime.

Lee Kum Kee Chili Crisp - Smoky jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Hot chili
  • Garlic
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Soybean
  • Solids to oil ratio: High (~80%)
  • Flavor Enhancer: Yeast extract
  • Potential allergens: Soy, sesame
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: In your face
  • Texture: Soft, jammy solids
  • Saltiness: Moderate (90mg. per 5gm.)

This is one not to be toyed with. We found the level of chili heat impressive, demanding of respect. A single teaspoon tasted burned our throats for the better part of ten minutes. Water, sugar and milk did little to suppress its incendiary heat.

As you may know, capsaicin, the compound responsible for the sensation of heat in chili peppers can be neutralized, or at least mitigated by sugar like the lactose in milk. Admittedly, we may have taken too big a sample and swallowed it too quickly, but be advised to take care with this one. It might outclass Sichuan pepper in the heat department.

After we recovered, we took a more cautious approach, and sampled conservatively. The smokiness is there as promised, along with a good measure of garlic. The bold chili heat may have worked to the detriment of the other umami ingredients, rendering them almost undetectable. We'll have to revisit this one with food to see if that will balance things out and reveal more complexity.

An odd one here for the absence of the flavor enhancers typical of Chinese products, and which LKK is not averse to using. Only yeast extract in a minimal amount is present here.

But Is It Crisp?

Although most of the usual suspects are included for a chili crisp, none are of a texture we'd call crunchy or at all crisp. The solids here are all softly jammy, the plus being there's a goodly amount of them relative to the oil. But it's still quite soupy, characteristic of the "Chiu Chow" style Lee Kum Kee appears to embrace. Therefore, we're going to categorize this one as a chili oil rather than a chili crisp.

We looked on Amazon for the ingredients list for this one, and it was woefully incorrect. The information below, from the LKK website, matches that on our jar.

Ingredients

Soybean oil, water, dehydrated garlic, shallots, salted chili peppers (chili peppers, salt), smoked chili pepper powder, soy sauce (water, soybeans, salt, corn starch), sugar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, salt, yeast extract, spices.

More Information

Brand: Lee Kum Kee
Style: Chili oil
Price Paid: $9.99 / 8oz.
Country of Origin: china
Manufacturer website: https://usa.lkk.com/en/products/chili-crisp-smoky
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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 Momofuku Chili Crunch – Original

Momofuku Chili Crunch by Chef David Chang is one of what many consider a "new wave" product in the genre. It possesses elements of both chili crisps and salsas machas, along with some sensibilities all its own. A little pricey at $13 for 5.5oz, we found this Original version on sale at Amazon for just over $9.

Momofuku Chili Crunch by David Chang jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Puya chili
  • Coconut sugar
  • Onion, garlic
  • Japones and arbol chilis
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Grapeseed
  • Solids to oil ratio: Moderate
  • Flavor Enhancer: Natural
  • Potential allergens: Sesame
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Medium
  • Texture: Fine crunch
  • Saltiness: Low (25mg. per 3.3gm.)

The main chili flavor (and heat) here is courtesy of puya chili, slightly hotter than jalapeno, but fruitier and more complex. The sweetness of coconut sugar offsets the heat somewhat. Onion and garlic bring the allium. Arbol and japones chilis round out the pepper flavor. Umami comes courtesy of mushroom powder, yeast extract and seaweed. There's a lot going on in here.

The texture has a mild crunch mostly from the garlic, we assume, but perhaps some from undissolved coconut sugar as well. Similar to the Fly By Jing, there is a muddy texture to some of the solids, whether that's from ground peppers or the umami components is hard to say. Suffice it to say, however, that despite it being called a "chili crunch", we've had crunchier.

All in all, the varied ingredients play well with each other, giving a good balance of heat, spice, sweet, and umami. We would have liked a bit more pronounced texture, though.

Chef Chang offers four more varieties of his chili crunch, including Extra Spicy, Garlic (Mild), Black Truffle and Hot Honey.

Ingredients

Grapeseed oil, puya chilis, coconut sugar, onions, garlic, sesame seeds, japones chilis, chilis de arbol, mushroom powder, salt, shallots, spices, yeast extract, seaweed

More Information

Brand: Momofuku
Style: New Wave
Country of Origin: USA
Price paid: $9 / 5.5oz.
Manufacturer website: https://shop.momofuku.com/collections/chili-crunch
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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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