If pesto was the quiche of the 1980s, crispy chilli oil — also known as chilli crisp — has become the salted caramel of the 2020s, a jar of flavour that has found its way into almost every store cupboard and chef’s table. Not just any chilli oil, but specifically jars of chilli oil with lots of bits in: crispy chilli flakes, black beans, peanuts, garlic, shrimp paste or onions. “It’s been a real explosion in the last two years,” says Chi San, the owner of Red Duck, a south London Chinese restaurant. “The western way of taking a bottle of olive oil and sticking in a chilli with maybe herbs is for looks more than anything else. There’s no kick or flavour in these.

Source: The Times March 12, 2021 12:00 UTC