Chili Crisp

Name: Chili Crisp
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: China
Ingredients: 400 ml (1⅔ cups) neutral oil, peanut or rapeseed (canola); 4 shallots, about 150 g, very thinly sliced; 10 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced or finely chopped; 2 star anise; 1 cinnamon stick, about 5 cm; 2 bay leaves; 2 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns, lightly crushed; 40 g (½ cup) Korean or Sichuan chili flakes, gochugaru for mild, Sichuan for hot; 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds; 2 tsp sugar; 6 g (1 tsp) fine sea salt; 1 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tsp MSG, optional

Crunchy, numbing, savory chili oil to spoon on everything

Makes: about 500 ml (2 cups)
Hands-on: 30 min
Total: 45 min
Level: Some skill

Chili crisp is oil infused with spices and loaded with crunchy fried shallots, garlic and chili flakes. It is the condiment that makes plain rice, eggs, noodles and dumplings worth eating twice.

Ingredients

400 mlneutral oil (1⅔ cups)peanut or rapeseed (canola)
4shallotsabout 150 g, very thinly sliced
10 clovesgarlicvery thinly sliced or finely chopped
2star anise
1cinnamon stickabout 5 cm
2bay leaves
2 tbspSichuan peppercornslightly crushed
40 gKorean or Sichuan chili flakes (½ cup)gochugaru for mild, Sichuan for hot
2 tbsptoasted sesame seeds
2 tspsugar
6 gfine sea salt (1 tsp)
1 tbspsoy sauce
1 tspMSGoptional

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy-free
Allergens: sesame, soy, gluten
Origin: China (Sichuan / Guizhou style)

Method

Put the chili flakes, sesame seeds, sugar, salt and MSG in a heatproof bowl or jar (at least 1 l). Set a sieve over it.
Put the oil and shallots in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the shallots are light golden and the bubbling slows, 10–15 minutes. Strain them out with a slotted spoon onto paper towels; they will crisp and darken as they cool.
Add the garlic to the same oil and cook, stirring, until pale golden, 3–5 minutes. Scoop out onto the paper towels.
Add the star anise, cinnamon, bay and Sichuan peppercorns to the oil and heat over medium-low for 5 minutes, until fragrant. Raise the heat until the oil reaches 120–135°C (250–275°F).
Pour the hot oil through the sieve onto the chili mixture; it will sizzle and foam. Discard the whole spices.
Stir, let cool for 10 minutes, then stir in the fried shallots, garlic and soy sauce. 10 min
Transfer to a clean jar once cool and refrigerate.

Why it works

Frying shallots and garlic slowly drives out their water so they turn crisp rather than chewy, and they keep cooking after leaving the oil, so you pull them before they look done. Pouring oil at 120–135°C onto the chili flakes toasts them for a deep red color and fragrance; hotter oil would scorch them black and bitter. The spices give the oil its warm, layered aroma.

Common mistakes

Taking the shallots too dark: they become bitter as they continue to brown. Pull them at light gold.
Pouring oil that is too hot onto the chili: it burns. Use a thermometer or test with a pinch first; it should sizzle steadily, not blacken instantly.
Adding wet ingredients to the oil while hot: it can spatter dangerously.

Variations

Peanut chili crisp: Stir in 50 g chopped roasted peanuts with the shallots.

Make ahead and storage

Keeps 1 month in the fridge. The solids sink; stir before using.

Notes

Because it contains fried garlic and shallot, keep refrigerated. Use tamari for a gluten-free version. Add peanut if using peanut oil.