Did you know that the global chili crisp market is projected to reach a staggering $2.3 billion by 2027? This irresistible condiment has become a culinary sensation, and for good reason. Chili crisp, also known as homemade spicy chili crisp, is an explosion of flavors – fragrant garlic, aromatic spices, and a fiery kick of chili heat. Luckily, crafting this delightful treat at home is easier than you might think.
This homemade spicy chili crisp recipe allows you to customize the heat level and ingredients to your preference. By combining árbol, japones, and Kashmiri red chiles, we create a fiery punch with fruity and bright flavors. Frying the shallots and garlic in the same oil used in the chili crisp yields maximum flavor, and a high ratio of fried shallots and garlic results in more texture and crunch than in the original chili oil condiment. This foolproof method is a surefire way to craft a delicious, versatile condiment that can elevate a wide variety of dishes, from Lao Gan Ma to crispy chili in oil and beyond.
What is Chili Crisp and Why Should You Make It?
Chili crisp, also known as Laoganma Spicy Chili Crisp, has amassed a cult-like following as China’s top-selling chili crisp sauce. It owes its fascinating nature to a winning combination of málà sauce (a chile-oil condiment made by simmering chiles, Sichuan peppercorns, and spices in oil) and crunch. Packed with roasted soy nuts, fried onion, and fried garlic, chili crisp truly has everything you’ll ever need – it’s both numbing (má) and hot (là), with a satisfying crunch.
The Irresistible Allure of Chili Crisp
The Laoganma line of sauces and oils was started in 1996 by a woman named Tao Huabi, who had originally opened a noodle shop in 1989, but the spicy chile sauce she tossed her noodles in soon became more popular than the noodles themselves, so she started bottling it.
A Versatile Condiment for Elevating Any Dish
Chili crisp is a versatile condiment that can elevate a wide range of dishes, from noodles and ramen to rice, tamales, and even creamy risotto.
Crafting the Perfect homemade spicy chili crisp
To craft the perfect homemade spicy chili crisp, we start with a fiery blend of árbol chiles, japones chiles, and Kashmiri red chiles. These chiles are de-seeded to improve the texture of the final product, then pulsed in a spice grinder to the perfect flake size.
The Fiery Blend of Chilies
For added depth of flavor, we include a generous amount of ground Sichuan peppercorns, as well as black pepper, fresh ginger, cumin, red cardamom, and star anise. To heighten the umami, we also add MSG and mushroom powder, which gives the chili crisp a mouthwatering, addictive quality.
Maximizing Flavor with Aromatics and Spices
For the “crisp” component, we use peanuts for their fatty crunch, and thinly slice shallots and garlic using a mandoline to ensure even frying and maximum crispiness. The shallots and garlic are fried in peanut oil, which is then used to quickly fry the chili and spice blend, blooming the flavors before cooling and combining with the crispy bits.
Achieving the Perfect Crispy Texture
The result is a homemade spicy chili crisp that is packed with bold, complex flavors and a satisfying crunch from the fried aromatics and peanuts. This versatile condiment can elevate a wide range of dishes, from noodles and rice to meats and vegetables.
Endless Possibilities: Customizing Your Chili Crisp
The beauty of homemade chili crisp is the ability to customize it to our personal taste. If we prefer a milder condiment, we can swap in less fiery chiles such as guajillo, Aleppo, or Maras. The possibilities for customization are endless – we can experiment with different chili pepper blends, adjust the amount of aromatics and spices, or even take the chili crisp in a global direction by pairing it with flavors from other cuisines.
For those who don’t want to make it themselves, there are several excellent chili crisp brands available, including the popular Lao Gan Ma, as well as Don Chilio, Fly By Jing, and Momofuku. These pre-made options offer a convenient way to enjoy the addictive flavors of chili crisp without the hassle of homemade preparation.
No matter how we enjoy it, homemade or store-bought, chili crisp is a must-have condiment that will add delicious heat and flavor to a wide range of dishes, from noodles and rice to meats and vegetables. With so many ways to customize and experiment, the possibilities are truly endless when it comes to this versatile and flavor-packed spicy chili oil.