


“Chinese foods that available on the market usually cheap, filled with additives and preservatives, and into people's perceptions of Chinese food being low quality and undesirable,” Gao said. The sauce also specifically highlights Sichuan flavors rather than Guizhou flavors like Lao Gan Ma, using what is called the tribute pepper - a rare, fragrant variety of Sichuan pepper that is historically known for being offered as a tribute to Chinese emperors - and cold-pressed rapeseed oil high in antioxidants and nutty in flavor. Gao’s version of chili crisp relies on the meaty, umami flavors of mushrooms and seaweed. But when I started delving deep into cooking and ingredient-sourcing, I became a lot more thoughtful about what I was putting into my body and realized that by using high quality ingredients, you can make food that is good for you and tastes far, far better.” “Lao Gan Ma is the stalwart chili sauce in China it is made in the Guizhou province and uses Guizho chilis, soybean oil, MSG, and preservatives," says Gao. This meant no MSG, no preservatives, and no additives. Founder and chef Jenny Gao wanted to recreate her own version of the condiment while keeping healthy, natural ingredients in mind. Take the lauded Sichuan Chili Crisp bottled by Fly By Jing. Some emerging brands, however, have used the lauded chili crisp as inspiration and are making more modern takes on the beloved condiment. But Huabi has set up a task force within her company to shut down the counterfeiters. Rivalries and copycats have emerged since the bottled chili crisp first took off, thanks in part to China’s early, non-rigorous trademark laws. The factory reportedly bottles upwards of 1.3 million jars of the stuff each day and raked in 400 million yuan - or 64.11 million dollars - in 2009.
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She closed the noodle spot to work on Lao Gan Ma full time and her son also quit his job to assist as the brand rapidly grew. Though initially poor and illiterate, Huabi had a knack for flavor and word spread about her prized chili sauce. Lao Gan Ma was established in 1997 after Huabi’s homemade chili oil gained popularity thanks to her noodle shop in the Guizhou province. And a godmother she is - a fairy godmother of flavor, enhancing dishes across all types of foods, from veggies to dessert and everything in between. The most famous brand of chili crisp is called Lao Gan Ma, which roughly translates to "old godmother." The label touts a photo of a frowning woman who happens to be the condiment brand’s owner and founder, Tao Huabi. I have also been known to load it up on a plate of nachos, mixed into cream cheese and generously spread on a bagel, or in sandwiches too. I drizzle it on more traditional dishes, like steamed dumplings or bowls of rice, or submerge slivers of hot pot-cooked beef into pools of the chili oil. The Chinese condiment - a crunchy blend of fried garlic, shallots, and chili flakes typically steeped in canola oil - is maddeningly delicious in its simplicity and tastes amazing on just about everything, from pizza to ice cream.
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The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp is an ode to chili crisp and a story of resilience, breaking free from tradition, and writing new narratives.Confession: I’m a chili crisp fanatic, and I’m not alone.
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With gorgeous photography and punchy writing, Jing shows you how to incorporate these flavors in just about everything, including: Rooted in tradition but adapted for the modern kitchen, these 85 recipes invite you to explore the nuances of Sichuan flavors and experiment with new ingredients. Now, in The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp, Jing shows how nearly every dish can be elevated with Sichuan's complex flavors, taking you on a unique journey from her hometown to your own kitchen stove, all while sharing her personal story and reflections on this storied cuisine and the challenges she's encountered along the way. Explore the "not traditional but personal" Sichuan flavors of Fly By Jing's cult favorite spicy and savory chili crisp through 85 hot recipes for everything from dumplings to cocktails to desserts.īorn in Chengdu and raised everywhere, chef and entrepreneur Jing Gao has introduced America to the hot, tingly sensation of chili crisp and the Sichuan flavors that inspire it, first through her wildly successful Kickstarter campaign and currently through thousands of grocery stores across the United States.
