| 60 | 14 | 2½ - 3 |
|---|---|---|
| minutes | ingredients | cups |
Ingredients - Aromatic Infusion
- 1 ½ cups sunflower oil
- 5 whole star anise
- ½ red onion, diced
- knob of fresh ginger, sliced
- 1 head garlic, peeled and slightly crushed
- 4 cardamom pods, crushed
- 4 dried bay leaves
Ingredients - Chili Crisp Base
- 18g red chili, ground
- 17g sweet paprika, ground
- 3 tsp Chinese fermented bean paste
- 2 tsp black pepper, ground
- 3 tsp MSG
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
Method
- Add the oil and all aromatic ingredients to a saucepan. Set over low heat, maintain the gentle infusion for 30 minutes minimum, up to 1 hour. If there are no bubbles, increase heat slightly.
- Strain the oil and set the aromatics aside, discarding the garlic and star anise. Blend or crush the aromatics into small chunks, but not a paste.
- Heat a small skillet on low heat, toast the chili and sesame seeds together for 3-5 minutes or until darker, set aside to cool.
- Return the skillet to heat, add the toasted chili, sesame seeds, black pepper, MSG, salt, and sugar. After 1 minute, add the aromatic base and mix together until incorporated into a dry paste, almost like mixing together flour and butter.
- Add the infused oil and stir often until it starts to gently bubble continuously.
- Turn the heat off, mix in the bean paste, and allow the mixture to cool in the skillet before transferring to a jar then in the fridge.
- The chili crisp will continue to develop flavour over the first 3-5 days.