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Published on Leave a comment on Chile Crunch – Original

With origins in Mexico, this made in USA Chile Crunch - Original is a bit of an anomaly for what one might assume to be a salsa macha. Its spare ingredient list lacks any of the nuts or seeds considered essential to an authentic salsa macha. We picked this one up at Whole Foods.

Chile Crunch - Original jar
Chile Crunch - Original label
Main Flavor Elements
  • Garlic
  • Onion
  • Chile
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Sunflower
  • Solids to oil ratio: Moderate (~60%)
  • Flavor Enhancer: None
  • Potential allergens: None
  • Storage: N/S
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Low
  • Texture: Crunchy garlic and onion
  • Saltiness: Low (15mg. per 5gm.)

While it may or may not be the first of its kind, this crunchy garlic and onion-infused oil is similar to a handful of competitors we've tried. We found both alliums perfectly toasted, giving a satisfying crunch without any of the bitterness associated with over-frying.

No added sugar means it doesn't have the sweet note some like MW Polar Crunchy Garlic Chili Sauce or Mishima Chef Troy’s Recipe Crunchy Garlic Chili Sauce do, but that quality is best left to individual preference.

To be priced competitively with those other smaller jars, this one would need to sell for about $3 less.

The chile heat level here is about on par with others in the category, low and in keeping with a more taberu rayu-style product, despite its Mexican origins.

We liked the sunflower oil base, and thought it gave a mellow roundness to the mouthfeel and an almost buttery impression on the palate.

The garlic and onion crunch is among the best we've tried. But we really needed to stir things up well each and every time we spooned some out, as the solids were quick to settle back to the bottom of the jar. We appreciated the straight sides of the container allowing us full access to really dig deep and mix things up.

In addition to the Original, the company also produces Mild, Chipotle and Hot (sometimes seen listed as Spicy) versions. We can't imagine why a Mild would be necessary, as we didn't find the Original to be spicy or at all hot.

See it at Amazon.

Ingredients

Non-GMO sunflower oil, onion, garlic, chiles, salt.

More Information

Brand: Chile Colonial, LLC / Chile Crunch
Style: Crunchy oil
Price Paid: $10.99 / 5.5oz.
Country of Origin: USA (Denver, CO)
Manufacturer website: https://chilecrunch.com/products/chile-crunch-1
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Published on Leave a comment on Spice World Chili Onion Crunch

This Spice World Chili Onion Crunch came from Amazon. The ingredients sounded promising, and, at only $3.49 for a 6oz. jar, we couldn't resist trying it.

Spice World Chili Onion Crunch jar
Spice World Chili Onion Crunch label
Main Flavor Elements
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Chili pepper
  • Sugar
  • Citric acid
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Sunflower
  • Solids to oil ratio: Fairly high (~80%)
  • Flavor Enhancer: N/S
  • Potential allergens: Sunflower
  • Storage: Not specified
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Medium-low
  • Texture: Pleasant medium crunchiness
  • Saltiness: Low (110mg. per 15g.)

Points off to Amazon for shipping our jar unprotected in the ways we've come to expect. Not bubble wrapped, no proprietary styrofoam container, just loose in the box with a crumpled piece of brown paper. Luckily, it arrived intact and not leaking.

Some photos online show the jar packed to the brim with solids. Not so the case in reality, as there is about 3/4 of an inch of headroom in an actual jar. We attribute this to it being 6oz. of product in an 8oz. container.

The flavor is, as expected, primarily onion and chili, but it is by no means one-dimensional. The garlic plays a welcome part, and the addition of citric acid gives a brightness that enhances the moderately warm chili pepper.

The texture is good, with a pleasant crunch of toasted onion and garlic that haven't lost their crispness. The chili pepper solids are finer, but their seeds add to the overall crunch.

A lot to like here. Everything is well-balanced and the promised flavors and more are delivered in an accessible combination that should appeal to most anyone.

Compare to Trader Joe’s Crunchy Chili Onion. But we liked this one from Spice World better.

Packaging Change
Spice World Chili Onion Crunch jar, old label

The jar we received was in the new packaging, but you may still see the old version pictured here. They dropped the "Kickin'" and the "Cooking &" but the product appears unchanged other than that and the new, slightly altered color scheme.

Ingredients

Sunflower oil, dried onion, toasted onion, dried garlic, crushed chili pepper, crushed sweet chili pepper, sea salt, citric acid, sugar, smoked paprika.

More Information

Brand: Spice World
Style: Crunchy oil
Price paid: $3.49 / 6oz.
Country of Origin: USA
Manufacturer website: https://spiceworldinc.com/seasoning-blends/kickin-chili-onion-crunch/
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Published on Leave a comment on Divina Calabrian Chili Garlic Spread

This Divina Calabrian Chili Garlic Spread came from Whole Foods. We spotted this one on an endcap display and, from the appearance of massive amounts of garlic, immediately knew we wanted to try it. Admittedly, it's a little outside the chili-infused oil arena, but we couldn't resist.

Divina Calabrian Chili Garlic Spread jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Garlic
  • Chili
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Sunflower
  • Solids to oil ratio: Very high
  • Flavor Enhancer: N/S
  • Potential allergens: nut oil
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Moderate
  • Texture: Soft solids
  • Saltiness: Moderately low (490mg. per 30gm.)

There's so much garlic in this it's hard to believe it's not the first ingredient on the list. Its contribution is pleasantly somewhere between piquant and mellow. In other words, while it's softened from cooking, it hasn't lost much of its inherent garlic character.

The chili heat is right there, too, complementing not competing with the garlic. The acidity regulators, lactic, acetic and citric, keep things on the bright side, lending an impression of freshness to the pepper.

We found tasting it alone to be a little bracing, so we decided to apply it to some food, Mediterranean sardines in olive oil over rice. This mellowed the chili and garlic out quite nicely, and elevated the otherwise bland fish and rice. We're looking forward to trying it with other things.

We created a new category, Calabrian, to add more of this Southern Italian-style type of finds to in future.

Ingredients

Sunflower oil, garlic, chili peppers, dried onion, sea salt, garlic powder, red chili pepper, lactic acid (acidity regulator), water, acetic acid (acidity regulator), citric acid (acidity regulator).

More Information

Brand: FOODMatch, Inc. / Divina
Style: Calabrian
Price Paid: $6.99 / 6.7oz.
Country of Origin: Italy
Manufacturer website: https://www.divinamarket.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 Roland Foods Spicy Chili Onion Crisp

This Roland Foods Spicy Chili Onion Crisp came from a local supermarket. It was the only such product they stocked, I'm sure only because Roland is pretty much a supermarket brand. That and the store in question is more of an old-school family-run operation which caters to an older clientele. You rarely see any trendy stuff in the international sections there.

Roland Foods Spicy Chili Onion Crisp jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Onion
  • Chili
  • Garlic
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Sunflower, sesame
  • Solids to oil ratio: High
  • Flavor Enhancer: Natural
  • Potential allergens: Sesame
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Moderate
  • Texture: Crispy crunch
  • Saltiness: Low (125mg. per 18gm.)

We were pleasantly surprised by this one. It's onion-forward, but the chili pepper and garlic play well into the mix. The aromatics aren't as obvious, unless you're really looking for them, but they round out the overall flavor profile nicely. The salt level is low, and, for those who appreciate it, there's no MSG.

We thought the texture was really good. The mixture is thick with medium-weight solids that provide a satisfying crunch.

We categorize it as a crunchy oil, but in reality, it has a lot in common with a Japanese taberu rayu. If it were more garlic-forward and a little saltier, a blind taste test might mistake it for one.

Compare to Trader Joe's Crunchy Chili Onion, similar in style and price.

Ingredients

Sunflower oil, dehydrated onion, garlic and red bell pepper, chili pepper, sesame oil, salt, spices (star anise, sichuan pepper, cinnamon, cloves, fennel)

More Information

Brand: Roland Foods, LLC
Style: Crunchy oil
Price paid: $5.99 / 7oz.
Country of Origin: USA
Manufacturer website: https://rolandfoods.com/product/87723-spicy-chili-onion-crisp
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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 Homiah Sambal Chili Crunch – Vegan

Homiah Sambal Chili Crunch - Vegan is one of two products from Homiah, the other "Original" contains shrimp and garlic. This version eliminates those two in favor of a healthy amount of nori seaweed. Normally a bit pricy at $11, we got this one while on sale at Amazon for $8.67.

Homiah Sambal Chili Crunch jar
Main Flavor Elements
  • Nori seaweed
  • Onion
  • Coconut sugar
Snapshot
  • Base oil(s): Sunflower
  • Solids to oil ratio: Very high
  • Flavor Enhancer: Natural
  • Potential allergens: N/S
  • Storage: Refrigerate after opening
Our Impressions
  • Heat level: Low
  • Texture: Sandy crunch
  • Saltiness: Very Low (35mg. per 5 gm.)

The ingredients list chili, but it's hardly evident, failing to even outshine the nori or the sugar. The label touts "50% less oil" and indeed it appears to barely have any, belying the fact that sunflower oil is first on the list. Even at room temperature, the product is a shaggy amalgam of its ingredients loosely held together by very little oil.

Rather than crunchy, we'd characterize the texture more as coarsely gritty, but not in a bad way. The nori and sugar make for an interesting combination, but we found ourselves wishing for a little more from the onion and chili. Yeast extract apparently replaces MSG as a flavor enhancer, but not enough to call attention to itself.

All in all, an interesting flavor profile, but not chili enough to be considered a chili crisp nor oily enough to be a crunchy oil. If, however, you want non-GMO, gluten free, soy free, vegan, low sodium and keto friendly, this one's got you covered.

Ingredients

Sunflower oil(high oleic), onion, chili, nori seaweed, salt, unrefined coconut sugar, yeast extract.

More Information

Brand: Homiah
Style: Southeast Asian crunchy condiment
Price paid, $8.67 / 6oz.
Country of Origin: Malaysia (dist. by Homiah, Inc, Brooklyn NY)
Manufacturer website: https://www.homiah.com/products/sambal-chili-crunch
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