Name: Chile Crisp
Yield: Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients: 4 small shallots, thinly sliced; 2 heads of garlic, separated into cloves, thinly sliced; 2 (3") cinnamon sticks; 6 star anise pods; 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil; 1 (2") piece ginger, peeled, very finely chopped; 1/4 cup crushed red pepper flakes; 2 Tbsp. soy sauce; 2 tsp. sugar

Crispyfried eggs drizzled with crunchy chile and garlic oil.

Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Andy Baraghani

This all-purpose chile crisp—which is tangy, spicy, and addictive—will give your other condiments an inferiority complex. You’ve been warned. Put it to good use on eggs, meat, seafood, or hearty salads.

Recipe notes

XO Sauce

Developed in the 1980s by a chef in Hong Kong, this sauce is all about umami.

Not-So-Secret Burger Sauce

Every sauce needs a few secrets. Ours is smoky, sweet, and savory—use it for burgers, fries, tenders, and more.

Charred Vegetable Ragù

This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!

Mapo Tofu Salad

The pan-fried tofu is crispy yet pillowy, served with a punchy dressing that is made with the same bold flavors as mapo seasoning.

Kimchi Bloody Mary

The kimchi brine is the secret hero here; just a splash of it brightens the cocktail while deepening it with a little funky je ne sais quoi.

Charred Cabbage With Shrimp Paste Butter

A little shrimp paste goes a long, long, long way in this delicious vegetable dish.

Crispy Tofu With Scallion-Ginger Sauce

The tofu is crunchy on the outside, in part thanks to a panko-studded exterior, and squishy-in-a-good-way on the inside. It also comes together in 20 minutes.

Passion Fruit Curd

Tangy and sunny, this curd can be made with either fresh or frozen pulp.