This Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp - China is a separate version you may or may not find in local stores. Definitely not the one sold by Walmart. That version is soybean oil-based and has a somewhat different flavor profile from this one, a rapeseed oil-based formula sold in the Chinese market. It can be distinguished from the former by its lack of English labeling, which is only included by way of an added adhesive label. We got this one at a local Asian market that carries both.
Translated, the characters in yellow on the label read: 香 "fragrant", 辣 "spicy", 脆 "crunchy", 油 "oil", 辣 "spicy" (again), and (obscured by add-on label) 椒 "chili pepper". These same characters appear in yellow ovals on the US export version. For a deeper exploration of the subject, see Decoding Chinese Chili Crisp Labels.
Main Flavor Elements
- Chili
- Onion
- Fermented soybean
Snapshot
- Base oil(s): Rapeseed
- Solids to oil ratio: High
- Flavor Enhancer: MSG
- Potential allergens: Soy
- Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
- Heat level: Low to medium
- Texture: Flaky fried chili
- Saltiness: Moderate (405mg. per 30gm.)
We weren't sure what to expect from this version formulated for sale in China. We assumed it would be pretty much the same as the US export version most likely to be found here. Perhaps the substitution of soybean oil in the US version would give some different flavor profile that a more traditional oil such as rapeseed would not.
What we did find were more in the way of differences in texture and contributions to overall flavor by other ingredients. Basically, we found a little less onion, a little more heat, and a more apparent contribution from the soybeans. We assume the latter are fermented even though the label is non-specific. They are not the crunchy variety, so we'll stick by our assumption.
The texture also differs. The solids lean more to the flaky fried chilis and al dente fermented soybean. The diminishment of onion flavor seems directly related to a loss of most of the onion crunch as well.
One other notable difference stuck out: no added preservatives in this version.
Other Thoughts
The flavors may seem a little "off" if you're used to the US export version. They may seem muted by comparison. Surprising, as our expectation was the US version might be geared toward more of a generic, Western mass market sensibility. We thought, however, after a few separate tastings, that this version is just fine, albeit different from the more onion-forward US version to which we've become accustomed.
The add-on paper label on the jar we bought listed the ingredients as given in the section below. We went a step further and found the following (courtesy of Google Lens translation) on the Lao Gan Ma China website: Rapeseed oil, chili peppers, onion, fermented black beans (soybeans, water), MSG, salt, sugar, Sichuan peppercorns.
The question we were left with was, is the version that most in the US are familiar with not really the most authentic after all? And is this Chinese version truly the OG that Tao Huabi originally concocted? Even without those answers, we found there's much to like in both.
Ingredients
Per add-on label: Rapeseed oil, chili, onion, soybean, MSG, edible salt, sugar, pepper.
More Information
Brand: Lao Gan Ma
Style: Chli crisp
Price Paid: $4.59 / 7.41oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website: https://en.laoganma.com.cn/?type=productinfo&S_id=115
Social media:
