Name: Homemade chilli crisp
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: Makes 1 litre
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 700ml vegetable oil; 8 shallots , thinly sliced; 3 garlic bulbs , cloves separated and thinly sliced; 6 star anise; 4 cardamom pods , lightly crushed; 40g dried chilli flakes; 5 tbsp sesame seeds; 1 tbsp coarsely ground Sichuan peppercorns; 60g ginger , peeled and sliced into matchsticks; 60ml light soy sauce; 15g caster sugar; 1 tsp sea salt flakes

Ingredients

700ml vegetable oil
8 shallots, thinly sliced
3 garlic bulbs, cloves separated and thinly sliced
6 star anise
4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
40g dried chilli flakes
5 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp coarsely ground Sichuan peppercorns
60g ginger, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
60ml light soy sauce
15g caster sugar
1 tsp sea salt flakes

Method

STEP 1
Heat the oil in a large, heavy pan over a medium heat with the shallots, garlic and whole spices. Cook, reducing the heat and swirling the pan occasionally to ensure everything cooks evenly – it should take about 35-45 mins until the shallots and garlic are lightly brown and crispy.
STEP 2
Add the chilli flakes, sesame seeds and Sichuan pepper, turn up the heat to high and sizzle for 1 min before using a metal mesh sieve to carefully pour the oil into a heatproof jug. Let the garlic mixture sit in the sieve for at least an hour to crisp up – to make it extra crispy, leave overnight.
STEP 3
Combine the ginger, soy and sugar in a bowl before stirring into the flavoured oil. Add the garlic mixture back into the oil, too (you can pour some of the oil off into a separate bottle if you prefer). Stir in sea salt flakes to taste. Stored in sterilised jars, the chilli crisp will keep for four weeks in the fridge.