Crunch No. 1

Crunch No. 1 and it’s by product, chile oil

In my world, condiments are the cool kids of the kitchen for a number of reasons, but mainly because they are just fun! I’ve been doing variations of highly texturized condiments like this one for a while, but the simplicity, versatility, and deliciousness of crunch no.1 is something to love. Because it is also super easy and relatively quickly to make, I suspect you’ll be introduced to your next condiment crush;)

For about 1/2 cup of Crunch No.1 you’ll need:

About 1/2 cup neutral oil, such as avocado oil.  

1/2 cup chopped fresh peeled ginger—chopped as small as a grain of rice

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh garlic —chopped as small as a grain of rice. (the key here is to stick to FRESH whole garlic cloves!!!)

1/3 to 1/2 cup chile flakes of any type.  I’ve tried it with chipotle flakes, with dry hot pepper flakes--the type you put on pizza, and most recently, with Korean red dry chile flakes for their tanginess and brightly red hue, so far my favorite. If you want all the texture and minimal spiciness, use Urfa pepper flakes--they have the required personality and none of the piquancy. 

Pinch of ground cumin

1 tsp Maldon salt or kosher salt

How to make it: 

1)    Put ginger and garlic in a medium size pan where they can fit in a single layer. Add a small pinch of salt and enough oil to cover the contents of the pan—about 1/3 cup.  Turn on the heat to low and bring it to a very timid simmer—it’s not a culinary term but it should be. 

2)    After some 5 to 8 minutes or when the fried garlic aroma is in the air, stir in the Chile flakes and ground cumin. Next, just stand there for another 5 to 10 minutes or until the garlic is a tad golden and the mixture makes a slight sound when stirred—as raking leaves. It does require a bit of surveillance and patience This would be a great time to catch up on your podcasts. Eyes on the pan, though! You don’t want burnt garlic here! 

3)    When it’s done, strain it and reserve the remaining Chile oil*.  Put chile crunch into a jar, mix in the salt, and top it off with fresh neutral oil.  Store in the fridge. It lasts for-e-v-e-r!

 Chile oil-Bonus side product: A killer finishing chile oil excellent for anything in need of a good kick.