My Minimalist Chili Crisp Is All About the Crisp

Here’s how to make my chili crisp:
Pulverize ½ cup dried red chiles into little flakes in a food processor or spice grinder. (I use Chinese chiles, but it’s probably okay if you use other types. If you don’t have whole chiles, substitute about ⅓ cup crushed red pepper flakes.) Smash ¼–⅓ cup roasted and salted soybeans (more soybeans = more crunch) into randomly-sized pieces with the flat of a knife or a rolling pin. It’s okay—even good—if some remain whole while others are closer to the size of rice grains. If you don’t have soybeans on hand, you can use roasted and salted peanuts; the crisp will crunch just as good.
Then, heat ¾ cup vegetable oil—I like soybean or peanut oil—in a saucepan over medium-high. Once the oil is hot, reduce heat to medium, add ½ cup minced dried onion or shallot and 2 tsp. salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until the alliums are brown, about 3–5 minutes. Add the chile flakes, soybeans or peanuts, and 1 tsp. sugar. Add 1 tsp. Sichuan peppercorns, if you crave that tingling sensation. Cook for about a minute to release the spicy flavors. If you want to amp up the heat, simmer for about 3–5 minutes more, until the oil looks redder and redder. Add a splash of sesame oil for extra fragrance. Turn off the heat and stir in 2 tsp. sesame seeds, if you’re using them.
After everything cools down, transfer the chili crisp to a sealed container and stick it in the fridge. Pour it over everything you eat (maybe even things you don’t eat?). It’s great for congee, tofu, or soups—all of which highlight its glorious texture—but you can also smother noodles and dumplings, roast chicken (my personal favorite), green salads, eggs, and maybe even sourdough—if you’re still making it, that is.

My Minimalist Chili Crisp Is All About the Crisp

Ingredients

Instructions