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Homemade Spicy Chili Crisp

Make this spicy, tingly, salty, crunchy, captivating chile condiment your own.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Cooling Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 32 (1 quart / 900ml)
Author: Sohla El-Waylly - Serious Eats

Equipment

  • Disposable latex gloves
  • Rimmed Baking Sheet
  • Wire rack
  • Kitchen shears
  • 2-quart and 4-quart heatproof bowls
  • 4-quart saucepan
  • Fine-mesh strainer
  • Instant-Read Thermometer
  • Mandoline
  • Spice grinder

Ingredients

  • 27 g (1 cup) dried árbol chiles, stems removed (see note)
  • 20 g (¾ cup) dried chiles japones, stems removed (see note)
  • 25 g (¾ cup) dried Kashmiri red chiles, stems removed (see note)
  • ½ cup (50g) roasted, salted peanuts, chopped
  • 1 2-inch piece (30g) fresh ginger sliced into thin matchsticks
  • 3 pieces whole star anise
  • 2 pods red or black cardamom split in half
  • 3 Tbsp (28g) freshly ground Sichuan peppercorn (see note)
  • 3 Tbsp (12g) porcini or shiitake mushroom powder
  • 2 Tbsp (20g) sugar
  • 5 tsp (30g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same by weight
  • 2 tsp (6) freshly ground cumin
  • 1 tsp (4) MSG (optional)
  • ¾ tsp (2g) freshly ground black pepper
  • 2½ cups (500g) peanut oil, or any other neutral oil
  • 2 cups (200g) thinly sliced shallots (about 1 mm thick; see note)
  • ¾ cup (65g) thinly sliced garlic (about 1mm thick; see note)

Instructions

  • Put on disposable latex gloves.
  • Place a wire rack inside a quarter- or half-sheet tray. Using your hands and kitchen shears, cut open chiles and place them on rack. Shake rack to sift off most of the seeds (don't worry about removing all the seeds). Transfer chiles to a bowl and discard seeds. Using a spice grinder and working in batches, process chiles until they are ground to a size just larger than standard chile flakes. Transfer processed chiles to a heatproof bowl or pot large enough to accommodate bubbling oil (at least 4 quarts in size). Combine chile flakes with peanuts, ginger, star anise, cardamom, Sichuan peppercorn, mushroom powder, sugar, salt, cumin, MSG (if using), and black pepper. Set aside.
  • Set a fine-mesh strainer over a 2-quart heatproof bowl. In a 4-quart saucepan, combine oil and shallots. Cook over high heat while constantly stirring. Once shallots become light golden brown, strain. Pour oil back into pot and add garlic. Cook over medium-low heat, constantly stirring, until light golden brown, then strain. Return oil to pot once more. Set aside fried shallots and garlic.
  • Heat oil to 375°F (190°C). Pour hot oil over chiles, spices, and other seasonings. Stir well to distribute hot oil throughout. Set aside to fully cool, about 30 minutes or until bowl or pot is cool to the touch.
  • Once chile-and-oil mixture has fully cooled, remove star anise and cardamom pods. Mix in fried shallots and garlic. Pour finished chili crisp into jars and store in the fridge for about 3 months. It can be served immediately, but for best flavor, eat it the next day. Stir well before serving.

Notes

These chiles are all very spicy. If you're interested in a milder condiment that's still packed with flavor, swap in an equal amount by weight of less fiery chiles. Good options are guajillo, Aleppo, or Maras chiles.
The easiest way to thinly slice the shallots and garlic is to use a mandoline.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Chili crisp should be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 months; it's very important, however, that the garlic and shallots are fried until fully crisp, as garlic and shallots that still have water content carry the risk of botulism.