Chili Crisp Recipe
Crunchy, numbing, red-hot oil loaded with fried shallots, made in 20 minutes for a fraction of what the puny jars cost at Whole Foods. Warning: you will put this on things that do not need chili crisp (like vanilla ice cream), and you’ll be right to do so, in my book at least.
Servings: 1.75 cups
Calories: 1690kcal
Cost: $4
Ingredients
- ¼ cup crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons gochugaru
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons Chinese fermented black beans (optional)
- ½ cup fried shallots or French fried onions
- 2 teaspoons white sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt or to taste
- 1 ⅓ cups canola oil or other neutral oil
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 whole star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
Instructions
- Combine the crushed red pepper flakes, gochugaru, ginger, garlic, chopped fermented black beans (if using), fried shallots, sesame seeds, sugar, and salt in a heatproof bowl large enough to hold the oil. Set aside.
- Combine the canola oil, cinnamon stick, star anise, bay leaves, and Sichuan peppercorns in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes, allowing the aromatics to infuse the oil. The oil should develop a steady stream of small bubbles around the spices without smoking or blackening.
- Carefully pour the hot oil through a fine-mesh strainer over the chili mixture, discarding the cinnamon stick, star anise, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Stir thoroughly to distribute the oil and spices.
- Allow the chili crisp to cool completely before transferring it to a clean glass jar. Refrigerate until ready to use. Stir before serving to redistribute the solids throughout the oil.
Notes
🫧 Bubble Bobble
Small bubbles only. Smoke means burnt spices and a terrible tasting jar of nightmare juice.
🥣 Bowl Movement (lol)
Use a bigger heatproof bowl than you think. Hot oil foams when it hits the chilies and you don’t want a sucky, dangerous hot mess to deal with.
🌶️ Tweak Your Heat
Tweak the ratio to your taste. More crushed red pepper for fire, more gochugaru for a more chill chili crisp.
Nutrition
Calories: 1690kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 177g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 51g | Monounsaturated Fat: 110g | Sodium: 2193mg | Potassium: 828mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 9505IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 180mg | Iron: 7mg