
Photo by Hetty McKinnon
This chile–oat crisp can be used like chile oil or as a stand-alone sauce. Drizzling it on noodles instantly makes it a meal. At Asian grocers, you can find a product called Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp, hailing from China’s Guizhou province. This garlicky, spicy, crunchy condiment is served with everything from noodles to ice cream to peanut brittle. The defining characteristic of this chile sauce is the crispness, and in my version I’ve included old-fashioned rolled oats and coconut flakes for extra crunch. You will find me adding it to pasta, eggs, jook, pizza and, of course, roasted vegetables. Vary the amount of spice in your chili crisp according to your tastes.

