Liew's Chilli Crisp Recipe

Here is my take of the ever popular Sichuan Chilli Crisp:

 

Chilli Flake

Combination of the following amounting to roughly 200g:

Korean chilli flakes medium course

(optional) Dried big red chillies

(optional) Dried Medium red chillies

(optional) Dried Thai bird's eye chillies

½ tbsp Sichuan peppercorns (red) roasted, pounded fine 

2 or 3 tbsp Roasted sesame seeds

1 tsp salt

1 tsp white sugar

½ tsp of MSG

Aromatics

750ml Canola oil

2 bay leaves 

3 pieces star anise 

2 pieces of cinnamon (cassia bark if you're a PRO) 

1/2 tbsp dried fennel seeds 

1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns (red)

5 slices of ginger slapped

5 garlic cloves, abused and destroyed

(optional) 3 pieces of black cardamom, cracked open

(optional) 4 piece of dried mandarin orange peel

Filling

1 x large onion diced finely

1 small pack of Sichuan preserved mustard greens - roughly minced (榨菜)

100 - 200g fermented/preserved black beans - soaked for 3 hours and drained

Water or clear spirit to soak preserved black beans 

(optional) 50g fine/small korean anchovies, fried, drained, set aside

(optional) 2 blocks of fermented bean curd, broken up

Prep dried chilli 

1. Soak preserved black beans in water or clear spirit for 3 hours and drain

2. In low heat and dry pan/wok, fry (without oil) dried big/medium/thai bird’s eye chilli
   until it turns dark red

3. Break dried chillies into half, pour and discard chilli seeds

4. Using blender, blitz dried chillies into flakes (not too fine)

5. Lightly roast Sichuan peppercorns until oils starts to stain the pan

6. Pound Sichuan peppercorns into powder

7. Mix Sichuan peppercorns powder, sesame seeds, salt, white sugar, MSG
   with dried chilli flakes, Korean chilli flakes 

Fried Anchovies

1. Heat canola oil in big pot to around 160-180C

2. Fry Korean anchovies until golden or stops bubbling

3. Pour everything through a sieve, keeping the hot oil in another pot. Put aside anchovies.
   Reheat same canola oil

Assembly

1. Put all aromatics to fry until garlic becomes golden

2. Pour everything through a sieve, keeping the hot oil in another pot. Discard fried aromatics.
   Reheat same canola oil

3. Fry onions and mustard greens - fry 5 to 10 mins until onions are brown

4. Add fermented bean curd and drained fermented bean curd - fry 5 mins

5. Add fried anchovies and chilli flake mixture - fry 3 to 5 mins

6. Take off flame, let cool to room temp without lid on

7. Leave in fridge for 24 hours before consuming

Credits/Inspiration

Andong's Chilli Crisp 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECnCL-TbLTY

Chinese Cooking Demystified

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkTQTS2RSCU