Description
This chili crisp recipe creates a flavorful and aromatic chili oil infused with crispy bits of serrano peppers, shallots, and garlic. It’s perfect for adding a spicy, smoky, and umami-packed crunch to various dishes. The process involves gently simmering the ingredients in oil, combining with chili flakes and seasonings, then refrigerating to develop deep flavors.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1.5 cups vegetable oil or peanut oil
- 2 serrano peppers, rough chopped
- 1 shallot, rough chopped
- 10 cloves garlic, rough chopped
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns or Sichuan peppercorns
- 1/4 cup red chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika or Gochugaru seasoning blend, or cayenne for more heat
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon MSG (optional, use sea salt as alternative)
Optional Additions
- 1 3-inch cinnamon stick
- 4 star anise pods
Instructions
- Prepare and heat oil: Add the vegetable oil to a small pot along with the rough chopped serrano peppers, shallot, garlic, and peppercorns. If using, add the cinnamon stick and star anise pods. Heat the oil over medium-low heat, allowing it to simmer gently and infuse flavors.
- Simmer ingredients: Continue to simmer the oil mixture for 20-30 minutes, or until the ingredients brown and crisp up. The time may vary depending on pepper size and oil temperature, so watch carefully to avoid burning.
- Cool slightly: Remove the pot from heat and allow the oil and ingredients to cool for 2-3 minutes. This resting allows the flavors to further infuse the oil.
- Mix spice base: In a separate heat-proof bowl, combine the red chili flakes, smoked paprika (or Gochugaru or cayenne), soy sauce, sugar, and MSG (optional) to create the chili crisp spice mixture.
- Strain oil: Carefully strain the infused oil into the bowl with the chili flake mixture. Use a strainer to catch the crispy bits of serrano, shallot, and garlic, and set them aside to cool and crisp up fully.
- Finish the crisp: Remove the cinnamon stick and star anise pods from the strained oil. Once the crispy bits have cooled, swirl them back into the chili oil mixture to complete the chili crisp.
- Refrigerate and develop flavor: Cover the prepared chili crisp and refrigerate it overnight. This resting period allows flavors to intensify and meld beautifully. Stir well before serving.
Notes
- Makes about 2 cups of chili crisp.
- Lasts for up to 1 month when refrigerated.
- You can use the chili crisp immediately, but it tastes better after resting for a day or more as flavors develop.
- If the crispy bits don’t crisp up after cooling, return them to the pot with a little chili oil and gently heat until crisp.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 99 kcal
- Sugar: 0.4 g
- Sodium: 62 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
