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Like many people over the course of pandemic, I've gotten really into chili crisp over this year, because it makes even the most simple, lazy meal instantly better. The upside of the chili crisp boom is that there are a lot of new options, many of them from small sellers and each with a different approach to flavor and texture. These are my favorites.Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp This is the OG and probably the best entry point into the world of chili crisp, because it's cheap and easy to find at most online retailers and well-stocked grocery stories. This is extremely savory, thanks to MSG (we love it!), and has a nice crunch from fermented soybeans. I love eating this on top of rice with basically any meal, and it's also great on dumplings.Boon Sauce This small batch chili oil is made by LA pastry chef Max Boonthanakit, and while it's not crunchy, it's extremely flavorful due to all the aromatics and the addition of anchovies. I love this on bitter greens or on top of eggs. This is the chili oil to get as a gift, in my opinion. Sze Daddy Eric Sze of the New York City Taiwanese restaurant 886 makes this cult favorite chili sauce that always sells out quickly. With a blend of chiles and star anise, this chili sauce is spicy and super flavorful. Toss this around with some noodles, throw in crispy tofu and scallions if you have 'em, and you've got my go-to weekday lunch.
Dec 1, 2020
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I wanted to think of one straightforward product recommendation to include and this one sprang right to mind. Salute Lao Gan Ma and Lee Kum Kee -- here at the Spyplane Test Kitchen we keep their chili oils on deck -- but a newer option that is fantastic and way more expensive per ounce, but real talk worth the splurge?? Fly By Jing’s Sichuan Chili Crisp. As with any good chili oil you can put it on stir-fries, pizza, coconut ice cream, etc. It’s made in Chengdu and in addition to classic bedrock ingredients it includes fermented black bean, shallots, mushroom powder, ginger, seaweed, etc...
May 27, 2021
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ok ok Lao Gan Ma chili crisp is so fuckin delicious in soups and rice dishes, it’s a mandatory condiment in my house!
Just, make sure you wash your hands after use. I got a huge glob of chili oil in my eyes once and i wanted to curl up and die.
And Mae Ploy Sweet Chili sauce is so good!! I usually use it as a dip or small add-on for rice, but it’s a good way to get some mild heat in a dish. I like it so much, i won’t kid you, i would in fact eat it on ice cream.
Beware, the flavor is very noticeable, and will make your whole dish taste like it, so if you really are tired of leftovers, dunk it in this stuff.
Feb 15, 2024
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It goes on everything, I’m disgusting. My favorite meal for it though is day old white rice, butter, soy sauce, spicy chili crisp, topped with a fried egg that’s crispy on the sides. if I could have this as my last meal, I’d die happy.
Dec 15, 2020
Top Recs from @bettina-makalintal
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As someone who works in food media, I watch a lot of cooking videos. As much as I love instructional videos with charming hosts, that's not what I watch to chill my brain out. Instead, and because I am obsessed with food, I watch quiet cooking videos on YouTube that one might even call cooking ASMR. They generally show someone cooking a dish with little to no background music or narration; instead, you see beautiful food and hear pleasant sizzle sounds or the gentle scraping of a wooden spoon. My favorite channels are 꿀키honeykki and yedy101, whose delightfully cross-eyed cat usually makes an appearance in the background.
Dec 1, 2020
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Is it ridiculous to carry my keys on a titanium key ring when carabiners cost a dollar? Yes! Does it make me feel fancy even when I'm making an emergency run to the bodega for toilet paper? Definitely. I love the sleek shape of this key clip and the fact that it will outlive me, plus it doubles as a bottle opener.
Dec 1, 2020
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I have long ridden extremely hard for Muji's 0.38mm gel pens, which I used to have relatives in other countries send to me before Muji expanded into the US. But since I'm a sucker for an ultra-fine-tipped pen, I knew I had to try Sharpie's version, and now, I think I'm a convert. These write even more smoothly, no matter how I have the pen angled, and the gel is really black and doesn't smudge. Plus, since they're retractable, I no longer have to worry about losing all my pen caps at the bottom of my bag.
Dec 1, 2020