Chili Crisp

XXX Chili Crisp

Chili crisp is kind of new to me as I've only started using it in the last year or so after my friend Geoff introduced me to it. Since then I've been playing with a scratch recipe. New York Times cooking sent me a recipe that included vegetable oil, dried minced onion, granulated sugar, kosher salt, dried small red chilies or red-pepper flakes, sesame seeds, and optional ground Sichuan peppercorns. I've seen recipes that have as many as 17 ingredients that include star anise, other varieties of peppers, ginger, and too many others to name.

As I've experimented with different recipes, I've made a really wet version with lots of oil and one that was much drier with little excess oil in the jar. Since I am not a measurer, getting this recipe ready for prime-time was a challenge and I went WAY overboard on the Sriracha so I'll give you a suggested amount after I tell you how much I used. Then it's up to you how far to go or not go in the heat dept. I labeled this batch XXX.

Heat sesame oil

Add onion, garlic and sesame seeds

Add crushed pepper

Stir in the chipotle to the chili crisp

Add srirach,soy or tamari and adjust seasonings to your taste.

THE RECIPE:

This was for a small batch; about a cup when it was finished.

1/4 to 1/2 cup sesame oil (enough to cover the bottom of your pan

1T dried minced onion

1T dried minced garlic

1T crushed red pepper

1/2t smoked paprika (optional but adds a nice touch of smoke)

1t cayenne

2T Sesame seeds

1T sriracha (WAY too much, I'd start with about an eighth of a teaspoon and work my way up from there)

2T tamari sauce (more to taste if you're a lover of tamari as I am)

2T ginger syrup (I keep this on hand, but you can substitute with 1T granulated sugar and 1/2t ground ginger)

Additional sweetening to taste

• Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan

• Sprinkle the onion, garlic, pepper and sesame seeds and gently cook until they begin to turn golden.

• Add the paprika, cayenne, ginger, and sugar and stir to combine

• Add the tamari and sweetener and stir to combine

• Gently simmer for 5 minutes or so

• Taste some on a spoon and adjust ingredients to make it as hot or sweet as you like.

• Store in an air-tight container in the fridge. I've kept it for as long as a month, but it generally gets used up way before then.

It's great to add to salad dressing, marinades, soups, or use as a rub on chicken or pork before barbecuing or roasting.