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small bowl of chili crisp

Jing Gao's Sichuan Chili Crisp

The Fly By Jing founder's recipe for her most popular product, Sichuan Chili Crisp.
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Ingredients

Ground Chili Powder

  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • ⅓ cup (50 g) dried chilies such as erjingtiao

Ground Roasted Sichuan Pepper

  • 2 tbsp whole Sichuan pepper

Sichuan Chili Crisp

  • 2 cups Sichuan rapeseed or neutral oil
  • 1 piece cassia bark
  • 2 pieces star anise
  • 1-2 pieces cardamom
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp minced ginger
  • ¼ cup preserved black beans
  • ½ cup Ground Chili Powder
  • 2 tbsp mushroom powder
  • 2⅓ tbsp kosher salt
  • 2 tsp Ground Roasted Sichuan Pepper
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp fried shallots store-bought
  • 2 tbsp fried minced garlic store-bought

Instructions
 

Ground Chili Powder

  • Remove the stems of the chilies and cut them into segments.
  • In a wok or frying pan over medium-low heat, warm the oil. Add the chilies to the pan, stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, until the chilies smell very aromatic and deepen in color to a bright red. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.
  • Using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, grind the chilies to a powder. It’s up to you whether to grind them to a fine powder or leave coarse. You can use the ground chilies for chili oil, stir-fries, or many other recipes. Use immediately and store remainder in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month.

Ground Roasted Sichuan Pepper

  • Heat a wok or frying pan over low heat and add the Sichuan pepper, stirring with a spatula to toast it evenly. Toast for 3 to 4 minutes, making sure not to burn the pepper. Good Sichuan pepper will still have a lot of its oils and fragrance that will be released as you toast it. Remove the wok from the heat and set it aside to cool.
  • Using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, grind the pepper to a fine powder. You’ll find that the inner husk of the Sichuan pepper is hard to grind and will be quite visible. Since it doesn’t have any flavour, it should ideally be sifted out for the best flavour experience. I usually pass mine through a fine-mesh strainer. Use the Sichuan pepper immediately.

Sichuan Chili Crisp

  • In a large wok or frying pan over high heat, warm the rapeseed oil to 350°F (175°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Add the cassia bark, star anise and cardamom and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until their fragrances have been released into the oil. (You’ll know when this has happened when the spices stop bubbling in the oil.) Pour the oil through a fine-mesh strainer and discard the spices.
  • Add the garlic, ginger and preserved black beans to the oil and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant. Bring the oil to 260°F (125°C) and add the chili powder, mushroom powder, salt and roasted Sichuan pepper, stirring to combine and making sure the salt is fully dissolved. Remove the wok from the heat and let the ingredients simmer in the hot oil for a few minutes. Stir in the sesame oil, shallots and garlic. Allow the mixture to cool.
  • Transfer the sauce to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 6 months or in the refrigerator for up to 12 months. You can use the chili crisp right away, but since the flavor develops over time, you’ll find it intensifying after a few days and even more so after a few weeks. Since the solid bits will settle at the bottom, make sure to always mix up the chili oil with a spoon before each use!