Chilli crisp, how I love thee!
Chilli crisp. That highly addictive Chinese condiment that’s the perfect blend of crunchy, spicy and savoury. Adds a stack of flavour into anything without overpowering heat. Are you already familiar with it? If not, meet your new best friend! But the best part about chili crisp isn’t even the spice kick. It’s the crispy bits. Those fabulous crunchy bits of chili and garlic add fabulous texture to anything lucky enough to be graced with a dollop of this wondrous Chinese sauce that has taken the western world by storm!
What it is – Jars of red chilli oil packed with chopped chilli and bits of garlic, seasoned with salt and sugar. Sometimes with peanuts or crispy soy beans, for extra flavour and crunch! What it’s called – Sold under various names but all akin to similar meaning – crispy chilli oil, chilli crunch, crunchy chilli oil, and just plainly “chilli crisp”. Also remember in the States, chilli is spelt with one “l” – chili. Where to get it – Some larger grocery stores in Australia (Coles, Woolies) and Asian stores. A$4 for 200g/7oz jar, I use around 1/4 of the jar for these noodles (serves 2). Which one I use – My go-to is Laoganma’s Spicy Chilli Oil (above) which is a worldwide favourite. But I am currently obsessed with Mrs C’s Chilli Crisp which I discovered at the Melbourne Good Food & Wine Show last month. A secret recipe passed down through generations, this chilli crisp made by a small family run Australian business is exceptional in flavour and crunch. Treat yourself when you’ve been good, support a small Aussie business or gift it to chilli loving friends! This stuff is special. Get the APPRENTICE if you want all the flavour without too much spiciness (this is what I get), or the OG (classic) if you can (I use this very sparingly, it’s quite spicy!). The OG is spicier than Laoganma, the Apprentice is about the same (maybe a touch less spicy).
Homemade – try the Serious Eats or Chili Pepper Madness recipes for “real” ones , or Marion’s Kitchen for a quick one (haven’t tried but is rated well). How to use chilli crisp – Add into stir fries, noodles, soups, dipping sauces, dressings and fried rice for an instant flavour hit. See specific list above the recipe video.
Today, we’re using this flavour bomb to make Chilli Crisp Noodles. Quick. Easy. Outrageously good!
Ingredients in Chili Crisp Noodles
Other than chilli crisp, the ingredients in these noodles are flexible because the chili crisp does so much of the heavy lifting here. So there’s no need to dash out to the store if you don’t have exactly everything listed, I’ve added substitution notes.
Chinese sesame paste (plenty of sub options!) – Tahini in steroids. Stronger sesame flavour! Find it in Asian stores and the Asian aisle of some large grocery stores. Mix well – Sesame paste has a tendency to separate, like tahini, pure peanut butter and other natural products. Mix to combine into a smooth paste. If yours has been sitting around for a while and proving impossible to mix, microwave to warm then mix. Last resort – stick blender. 3 seconds and you’re done! (Make sure the head is fully submerged)Subs – Don’t fret if you can’t find sesame paste, and don’t make a special trip out just for this paste. The main purpose is for creating a creamy sauce base for the noodles so you can substitute with similar ingredients. In order of preference (starting with best): Chinese sesame sauce (sesame flavour not as intense), tahini, pure peanut butter, commercial peanut butter spread (Bega, Jiff etc). Add a dash of extra sesame oil.
Light soy sauce – Or all-purpose soy or half the amount of dark soy sauce (sauce colour will be darker) Rice vinegar – Substitute with apple cider vinegar or other clear vinegar. White sugar – or any other type of sugar, or honey, maple syrup etc. Just a touch, to balance the other flavours. Toasted sesame oil – For tasty sesame flavour! I always use toasted sesame oil which is brown and has more flavour than un-toasted (which is yellow). Default sesame oil sold in Australia is toasted, un-toasted is harder to find. Salt – Start with the conservative 1/8 teaspoon as per the recipe then add more at the end if needed. Not all chili crisp brands have the same level of saltiness. Particularly with homemade chilli crisp, I always need to add more.
Noodles – This recipe will work for dried or fresh (fridge) noodles, quantities included in the recipe for both. I like to use ramen/instant noodle cakes because the crispy chili bits get caught up in the tangle of noodles. Garlic and ginger, fresh – Still worth making even if you don’t have fresh ginger and garlic. But it’s even better WITH! Green onion – For a hit of freshness. Sub with 1/4 red onion or 1 small eschallot, finely sliced. Coriander/cilantro (optional) – Fresh herby flavour. Actually, I’ve probably made these noodles without more than with!
How to make Chili Crisp Noodles
You’ll love how the sauce is virtually no cook! Mix well – Sesame paste has a tendency to separate, like tahini, pure peanut butter and other natural products. Mix to combine into a smooth paste. If yours has been sitting around for a while and proving impossible to mix, microwave to warm then mix. Last resort – stick blender. 3 seconds and you’re done! (Make sure the head is fully submerged) Subs – Don’t fret if you can’t find sesame paste, and don’t make a special trip out just for this paste. The main purpose is for creating a creamy sauce base for the noodles so you can substitute with similar ingredients. In order of preference (starting with best): Chinese sesame sauce (sesame flavour not as intense), tahini, pure peanut butter, commercial peanut butter spread (Bega, Jiff etc). Add a dash of extra sesame oil.
If you’re a chilli crisp first timer, welcome to the first day in your new, tastier world with this magical ingredient now a staple in your fridge. A dollop of chilli crisp will save you all those times you make something (Asian or not!) and you just feel like the dish is missing “something”, and elevate anything you add it to. And if you’re already firmly on the chilli crisp train, I hope you enjoy this new addition to your speedy-meals repertoire thanks to our trusty friend. Enjoy! – Nagi x
10 specific things to make with/use chilli crisp
Watch how to make it
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