This Chuanzhiwei Hot Chili Sauce came from a local Asian market which stocks a variety of brands of chili oils and chili crisps. We had seen this one reviewed online, and it sounded good. We're glad to have found it locally and at a good price.
It's also known as "Szechuan Flavor" brand, seen in small print within the logo, but Chuanzhiwei is the brand name given by most Asian online supermarkets. The characters just under the logo read: 川 "chuān, Szechuan/Sichuan", 知 "zhī, to know", 味 "wèi, taste".
Next, at upper left of the product name we have: 香 "xiāng, fragrant", 酥 "sū, crispy". The main, large characters, difficult to make out, allegedly read: 油 "yóu, oil", 辣 "là, spicy, hot", 子 "zǐ, seeds or fruit, i.e the peppers".
Finally, the small gold square at upper right reads: 经 "jing, authoritative" and 典 "dian, standard", together meaning "classic", then 香 "xiāng, fragrant" and 辣 "là, spicy, hot". Altogether, they indicate "classic spicy".
Labeling Inconsistencies
Further confusing is the same UPC is seen labeled as "Crispy Chili Oil". Additionally, there is yet another UPC also labeled "Hot Chili Sauce" which does not contain peanuts or soybeans. And finally, our jar obviously contains peanuts and soybeans, but they don't appear among the listed ingredients. But there is a disclaimer at the bottom of the label stating "Allergen information: This product contains Peanut, Soybean."
It is our assumption (for now) that what we have in hand has since been renamed "crispy chili oil", and that some confusion surrounding that at the factory has led our jar to be mis-labeled.
Main Flavor Elements
- Chili
- Peanuts
- Soybeans
- Sesame seeds
Snapshot
- Base oil(s): Rapeseed
- Solids to oil ratio: Medium (~60%)
- Flavor Enhancer: N/S
- Potential allergens: Soy, peanuts, sesame
- Storage: Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight
Our Impressions
- Heat level: Moderate
- Texture: Crunchy, nutty
- Saltiness: Very low (10mg. per 28gm.)
It's a unique, oddly-shaped container. The lid even includes a little handle that swivels out to make carrying the unwieldy shape a little easier. It's also huge, relatively speaking, at just over a pound and a half net weight.
The solids other than the sesame seeds congregate at the bottom, while the sesame seeds all float at the top. As such, it takes a bit of deftness to stir things up in a way that gets you a somewhat reasonable representation of everything into a spoonful. The rapeseed oil gives it that mellow roundness we like.
The chili heat here is moderate and steady, with the Sichuan peppercorn providing only a modicum of that má là numbing. For those who don't mind this heat level, we could see this one being a daily driver left out on the table for ready use. The label does not indicate that refrigeration is necessary.
The peanuts and soybeans have a good crisp crunch to them, and combined with the sesame seeds give a nice nutty contrast to the chili.
Salt is atypically low for this type of condiment, only 10mg per 28gm. We saw that as a double bonus. One, you can apply it liberally without turning your meal into a sodium bomb. And, two, since salt doesn't dissolve in oil very well (if at all), when you (finally) get towards the bottom of this jar, you won't be left with excruciatingly unbearable levels of saltiness.
No alliums means we're categorizing this one as a chili oil rather than a chili crisp, regardless of the revised name.
Overall, we liked it. It's not reinventing the wheel in this category by any means. But the heat and nuttiness are nicely balanced, making it very approachable. And, finally, it's quite a bargain at $8.99 for just over 24oz. of product.
Ingredients
Rapeseed oil, chili powder, sesame seeds, spices, peanuts, and soybeans.
More Information
Brand: Sichuan Cuihong Food Co, Ltd / Chuanzhiwei / Szechuan Flavor
Style: Chili oil
Price Paid: $8.99 / 1lb 8.69oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website:
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