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Published on Leave a comment on Super Lucky Elephant Chili Crisp – Shallots

This Super Lucky Elephant Chili Crisp - Shallots came from Amazon. The ingredients sounded good, the price was right, and we couldn't resist the name.

Super Lucky Elephant Chili Crisp - Shallots jar
Super Lucky Elephant Chili Crisp - Shallots label
Main Flavor Elements
  • Shallot
  • Salt
  • Sugar
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Rice bran
  • Solids to oil ratio: Moderately high (~60%)
  • Flavor Enhancer: N/S
  • Potential allergens: N/S
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Low
  • Texture: Crispy shallots
  • Saltiness: Moderately high (480mg. per 30gm.)
Why Elephant?

As we noted above, we were intrigued by the brand name. Either it was a bad translation or there was a back story, we weren't sure which. We learned from the website that the company has a particular interest in the conservation of the dwindling Asian elephant population, a noble cause worth recognizing and supporting.

We also learned the primary business is rice, which likely explains the use of rice bran oil.

Stirring things up to get started, the solids-to-oil ratio is about 60/40. The solids are mostly fried shallot, in non-uniform pieces. On the palate, they are nicely crisp and crunchy, and we didn't detect any notes of the bitterness often associated with over-frying.

The contribution of chili is minimal, heat-wise. The flakes of dried chili are visible, and the ingredients even include a small amount of bird's eye chili, but the flavor profile skews largely fried shallot, then salt, then sugar. The salt works to perk up the shallot, and the sugar tones and rounds things out.

The rice bran oil base is neutral and clean, and its lightness means it doesn't get in the way of the otherwise spare ingredient list. No flavor enhancers here by design, and none seem necessary.

The label says chili crisp, but we don't find a sufficient contribution from the dried chili flakes to call it more than a crunchy oil. Regardless, it still works. The fried allium/salt/sugar combination is well-balanced, and we appreciated the minimalist approach to the recipe.

Ingredients

Rice bran oil, dried red chili, fried shallot, salt, sugar, bird's eye chili.

More Information

Brand: Otis McAllister, Inc. / Super Lucky Elephant
Style: Crunchy oil
Price paid: $9.99 / 6.7oz.
Country of Origin: Thailand
Manufacturer website:
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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 Fanpi Brothers Spicy Bell Pepper Sauce

When is a chili crisp not a chili crisp? When it's Fanpi Brothers Spicy Bell Pepper Sauce, sold on Amazon described as "Chili Crisp Hot Sauce, 8.75oz Jar, Authentic Chinese Spicy Sauce Condiment". We're always looking for new chili crisps to try. And, at a discounted price off the regular $14.99 for a nearly 9oz. jar, we were willing to take a chance. Caveat emptor.

Fanpi Brothers Spicy Bell Pepper Sauce jar
Fanpi Brothers Spicy Bell Pepper Sauce label
Main Flavor Elements
  • Hot pepper
  • Garlic
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Rapeseed
  • Solids to oil ratio: High
  • Flavor Enhancer: MSG
  • Potential allergens: Peanut, sesame
  • Storage: Store in cool, dry place, refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Extremely high
  • Texture: Jarred Mexican pico de gallo
  • Saltiness: Moderate (390mg. per 15gm.)

After we opened the jar, to great disappointment, we searched and found the product described differently. One, as "Hunan-style Spicy Bell Pepper Sauce, Garlic Chili Sauce, and Chopped Chili Sauce". Elsewhere, it's called "Colorful Pepper Sauce", with which our translation of the label concurred. This is a more accurate depiction of what this product is, essentially a Chinese version of a Mexican salsa, and a hot one at that.

No toasted dried pepper flakes. Sadly, no crunch. None of the usual alliums besides garlic. No chili-infused red tint to the oil. All the peppers are soft as if pickled, having only a little raw vegetable crispness. Bottom line: Not a chili crisp.

There might have been potential here for some chili oil-adjacent use, but the bird's eye chili heat was really all we could taste. It totally obscured any of the other seasoning ingredients. The label indicates it's intended for use with rice dishes. We might be able to salvage it by using it as a cooking seasoning, somewhere we can tone down the-over-the-top heat.

We used a translation app to discover the ingredients and other info. The label is entirely in Chinese with the add-on English labeling giving only the nutritional breakdown.

Ingredients

Bird's eye chili, green chili, yellow chili, rapeseed oil, garlic, ginger, crushed peanuts, sesame seed, spices, salt, sugar, MSG, compound seasoning.

More Information

Brand: Fanpi Brothers
Style: Hunan bell pepper sauce
Price Paid: $12.52 / 8.75oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website:
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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/
Social media:

Published on Leave a comment on Lao Gan Ma Chilli Sauce with Peanut

This Lao Gan Ma Chilli Sauce with Peanut came from a local Asian market with a large selection of Lao Gan Ma product. Certain items there are perennial, while others seem to rotate in and out of stock. This one we actually mistook for the Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp – China. When we asked the cashier to clarify the difference between this (or what we thought this was) and the Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp, all we were told was "this one has peanuts". Only after we had a chance to translate the label and search the UPC did we realize what had transpired.

Lao Gan Ma Chilli Sauce with Peanut jar

The characters under the LGM logo read: 油 "yóu, oil", 辣 "là, spicy", 椒 "jiāo, pepper". Though expressed in a stylized font, that's what we were able to come up with. Oddly, we couldn't find any characters indicating peanuts.

Main Flavor Elements
  • Chili
  • Peanuts
  • Sugar
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Rapeseed
  • Solids to oil ratio: High
  • Flavor Enhancer: MSG
  • Potential allergens: Peanuts
  • Storage: Store in cool dry place, keep refrigerated after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Medium
  • Texture: Crisp chili flakes and peanuts
  • Saltiness: Moderate (540mg. per 30gm.)

To better explain, as we said, we thought we were getting the China version of the Spicy Chili Crisp. But after trying it, we were happy to have found another chili oil/crisp to add to our arsenal.

We liked the rapeseed oil base, it provides a mellow roundness of flavor soybean oil often doesn't. The texture of the solids, which are copious, has a satisfying bite, and the peanuts add a welcome extra crunch. In addition to crushed peanut, there are whole peanuts as well.

No alliums here, but the sugar and a smidge of prickly ash add a certain something that made us not miss them. The latter leaves just a touch of Sichuan style numbness on the lips.

All in all, we're glad to have made the mistake and found a new flavor profile to enjoy.

More Ingredient Roulette

Once again, contradictory ingredient information online confounds us. The jar we purchased has an all-Chinese label augmented by an add-on label in English, with an ingredient list as shown in the section below. A translation of the label from Lao Gan Ma's China website says the product contains "rapeseed oil, chili peppers, peanuts, MSG, salt, sugar, Sichuan peppercorns". We weren't able to remove the add-on label from our jar to see what the Chinese verbiage underneath on it actually said.

Lao Gan Ma Peanuts in Chili Oil jar

A website showing an export version of the product with English labeling as seen in this image says this same UPC contains "soybean oil, chilli, peanut, salt, sugar, sichuan red peppercorns, flavour enhancer- e621 (MSG). It's entirely possible that there exists a situation similar to the two Lao Gan Ma chili crisps, where one contains the soybean oil-based formulation. What little portion we could see of the ingredients on the image appears to bear out this scenario.

What we've ultimately come to decide, however, is that the US export counterpart to Lao Gan Ma Chilli Sauce with Peanut is actually the Lao Gan Ma Fried Chili in Oil.

Ingredients

From our jar's add-on label: Rapeseed oil, chili, peanut, food additives (MSG), edible salt, white granulated sugar, prickly ash.

More Information

Brand: La Gan Ma
Style: Chili sauce with peanut
Price Paid: $3.99 / 7.4oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website: https://en.laoganma.com.cn/?type=productinfo&S_id=117
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Published on Leave a comment on Sunlee Fried Crispy Chili with Peanut in Oil

This Sunlee Fried Crispy Chili with Peanut in Oil also came from that new-to-us Asian market. The wording on the label checked all the boxes: crispy, chili, peanut. And the price was right, $5.49 for a towering 11.25oz. jar.

Sunlee Fried Crispy Chili with Peanut in Oil jar

The Chinese characters above the English name read: 花 "huā, flower", 生 "shēng, raw, fresh" but together 花生 = "peanut", then 油 "yóu, oil", 辣 "là, spicy, hot", 椒 "jiāo, pepper".

Main Flavor Elements
  • Chili
  • Sugar
  • Citric acid
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Soybean
  • Solids to oil ratio: High
  • Flavor Enhancer: MSG, IMP,GMP
  • Potential allergens: Soy, peanut
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Low
  • Texture: Soft and jammy
  • Saltiness: Moderate (500mg. per 30gm.)

Another of those jars sealed to resist nuclear attack. We used the rubber jar thing, two in fact. One on the lid and the other to grasp the jar. Not until we put it into a full-on WWE headlock and bore down with all our might did the lid release.

Well, the name checked all the boxes, but the payoff was not as expected. The chili wasn't really crispy, nor was anything else. And the peanut, well, let's say there's peanut in here like there's pork in a can of pork & beans. That is to say minimal, a paltry amount, an afterthought. And the four peanuts we did find, all near the top, weren't the least bit crunchy.

Once again, all of the fried allium and the crunch and umami they bring are absent. No onion, shallot, nor even garlic. What's going on here? This stuff is from Thailand. Our mouths should be burning with heat and garlic, our faces sweating. But no.

Having said all that, we did like it for what it was. A nice, jammy chili concoction just spicy enough not to offend sensitive palates, but accessible enough to put on just about anything. And liberally.

Ingredients

Soybean oil, chili, peanut, sugar, salt, flavor enhancers (MSG, disodium 5'-inosinate, disodium 5'-guanylate), acidity regulators (citric acid) .

More Information

Brand: Thai Lee Foods / Sunlee, Inc.
Style: Chili in oil
Price Paid: $5.49 / 11.25oz.
Country of Origin: Thailand
Manufacturer website: https://www.sunlee.com/sauces-pastes/sunlee-fried-crispy-chili/
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Published on Leave a comment on Golden Chariot Chili Crisp with Fermented Beans

This Golden Chariot Chili Crisp with Fermented Beans was found at a new Asian market we visited recently. We're always looking for interesting variations, and this one sounded promising. Let's see how it tastes.

Golden Chariot Chili Crisp with Fermented Beans jar

Translating the characters under the product name we get: 豆 "dòu, beans, soybeans", 豉 "chǐ, fermented beans", 油 "yóu, oil", 辣 "là, spicy, hot", 椒 "jiāo, chili pepper, Sichuan pepper".

Main Flavor Elements
  • Fermented soybeans
  • Chili
  • Chinese spices
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Soybean
  • Solids to oil ratio: Very high
  • Flavor Enhancer: MSG, yeast extract
  • Potential allergens: Soy, wheat
  • Storage: Keep in cool, dry place away from direct sunlight
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Moderate
  • Texture: Al dente beans and chili flakes
  • Saltiness: Relatively low (211mg. per 15gm.)

Well, we're a little miffed at ourselves. Between the convention of Chinese products using the date of production and months of shelf life on packages, plus our own lack of due diligence, we bought a jar two months past its expiration date. We wrongly assumed we were getting something quite fresh, but this one actually uses a best by date. We've found expired product to be a problem at more than one Asian market, and we need to pay better attention in future. We'll try it anyway.

At least the jar was well-sealed. We needed a rubber helper thing just to get the cap off.

Let's Get Into It

The aroma is fragrant, redolent of the fermented black soybeans. An initial taste is primarily of them and the many spices listed on the jar. Only moments later does the chili heat start to creep up on you. The numbing effect of the Sichuan peppercorn is minimal, in due part, we expect, to the sugar content of the beans and the added sugar itself. Broad bean paste rounds everything out, providing an additional measure of umami.

This one is slightly reminiscent of the Lao Gan Ma Chili Oil with Fermented Soybeans, which we also liked. But here, there's an added complexity from the many spices the Lao Gan Ma lacks. The texture is very similar, but with a preponderance of coarse chili flakes. The absence of any crunchy fried allium like onion or shallot, however, is glaring for a product that calls itself a chili crisp. And we're finding ourselves a little reluctant to categorize it as one. It is, however, consistent with the Guizhou style they share.

We noticed myrcia on the ingredient list, and, not knowing what it was, were surprised to find out it's used in folk medicine for a variety of conditions including diabetes. We can't say what it brought to the flavor profile, nor even if its inclusion is as the fruit of the plant (sweet,tangy) or the leaf (aromatic), seen used similar to bay laurel. There are apparently many varieties of it, so knowing exactly what it's bringing here is uncertain. Going by its location in the ingredients list, our assumption is the latter.

We're definitely open to getting this one again. And, when we do, we'll check closely for the BB date.

Ingredients

Soybean oil, chili, fermented black soy beans, broad bean paste (chili, broad bean, salt, wheat powder), ginger, garlic, sugar, MSG, cooking wine, Sichuan peppercorn, salt, yeast extract, compound spices (Sichuan peppercorn, Chinese cinnamon, star anise, fennel, myrcia, white pepper, cardamom), natural flavor.

More Information

Brand: Hitmark Republic, Inc / Golden Chariot
Style: Chili oil with fermented beans
Price Paid: $4.19 / 8.11oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website: https://hitmarkrepublic.com/product/golden-chariot-chili-crisp-with-fermented-beanshrg145870/
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Published on Leave a comment on Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp – Xtra Crunchy

We got this Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp - Xtra Crunchy, formerly known as "Chengdu Crunch", from Whole Foods during a promotional sale. That now-obsolete name (along with "Zhong Sauce" for the Sweet + Spicy variation) went into the dumpster after a marketing re-think.

FlyByJing Sichuan Chili Crisp - Xtra Crunchy jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Sugar
  • Sichuan pepper
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Soybean
  • Solids to oil ratio: Very high
  • Flavor Enhancer: Natural
  • Potential allergens: Soy, sesame
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Mild
  • Texture: Maximum crunch
  • Saltiness: Medium (160mg. per 15g.)

If it's crunch you're looking for in a Fly By Jing product, this one has it. The "Xtra" part is puzzling as, to us, it implies the other FBJ offerings are crunchy, and this one is an order of magnitude crunchier. Having tried most of them, it's more accurate to say this one is crunchy whereas the others are not, really. Only the relatively new "Mild Crunchy Garlic" version (blue label), has the potential to also bring the crunch, but we haven't yet been able to obtain any to try.

We suppose the "Xtra" could allude to the fact that there are quite a number of solid ingredients not always found in a classic chili crisp (e.g. split peas, and pumpkin and sunflower seeds) that are being touted as "extra" compared to the crunch of normal chili crisps. Or, it could simply be that the solids-to-oil ratio is quite high compared to other FBJ offerings (~90% vs. 50-60%).

So, it is crunchy. But is it sweet, is it spicy? Yes to both. But the sweetness isn't cloying or intrusive, and it's well-balanced against the other elements of the flavor profile. Initially, we detected the Sichuan pepper only as a certain something lurking in the background. But we realized the sheer volume of solids had prevented us from really mixing things up well. Only once we were able to redistribute the finer solids, which had migrated to the bottom of the jar, did we get a sense of the overall flavor profile as intended.

We liked this one, and would get it again. It felt like a milder version of the Chuannan Peanut Chili Oil, whose bold Sichuan pepper heat and copious crunchy elements we really liked. For a more fragrant take with plenty of big crunch, also consider the NPG Sichuan Chili Crisp. Be aware, however, that both these alternatives contain MSG the Fly By Jing does not.

We're on the fence as to whether we agree this is a chili crisp. To us, it has more in common with some salsa machas, even though the seasoning profile is clearly Asian. We'll call it a crunchy oil instead.

Ingredients

Non-GMO soybean oil, soybeans, fava beans, yellow split peas, dried chili pepper, pumpkin seeds, shallots, salt, garlic, sugar, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, sichuan pepper, sesame oil, yeast extract, shallot oil (canola oil, shallots), seaweed powder, mushroom powder, natural flavors

More Information

Brand: Fly By Jing
Style: Sichuan Chili Crisp
Price paid: $9.08 / 6oz.
Country of Origin: China
Manufacturer website: https://flybyjing.com/products/chengdu-crunch
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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 Sunlee Crunchy Garlic with Chili Oil

This Sunlee Crunchy Garlic with Chili Oil came from a new Asian market we visited. They had several selections we hadn't tried before, this one among them. The copious amount of garlic seen through the glass caught our eye immediately, as did the low price for a reasonably large jar.

Sunlee Crunchy Garlic with Chili Oil jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Garlic
  • Chili
  • Sugar
  • Soy sauce
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Soybean, sesame
  • Solids to oil ratio: Moderately high
  • Flavor Enhancer: MSG
  • Potential allergens: Soy, sesame
  • Storage: Keep at room temperature away from direct sunlight
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Low
  • Texture: Crunchy garlic
  • Saltiness: Medium (340mg. per 15gm.)

If you like crunchy garlic, this is one to get. The jar is about 80% solids, mostly garlic. In fact, it's the first ingredient on the label, even before the oil. Sugar adds some sweetness, soy sauce a little umami, and citric acid a note of tangy brightness. The chili heat is warm and unobtrusive. It reminded us of both Mishima Chef Troy's Recipe Crunchy Garlic Chili Sauce and MW Polar Crunchy Garlic Chili Sauce, and both of which we thought were really good. The upside here being it's a low $4.99 for a big 9.52oz. jar.

We hadn't seen this one elsewhere before, but we'll be sure to get it again if we do.

Ingredients

Garlic, soybean oil, sugar, dried red chili, sesame oil, salt, soy sauce (salt, sugar, flavor enhancer (MSG), soybean powder, preservatives (sodium benzoate potassium sorbate)), citric acid.

More Information

Brand: Sunlee
Style: Taberu rayu
Price Paid: $4.99 / 9.52oz.
Country of Origin: Thailand
Manufacturer website: https://www.sunleeusa.com/product/d572sl10-sunlee-crunchy-garlic-with-chili-oil-24-x10-oz/
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