Chiu chow chilli oil or crispy chilli oil are both names used for chilli oil. You can use the red oil floating on top for cooking, but the real treasure lies below in the tasty bits or ‘gunk’. Lao Gan Ma is a legendary Chinese brand with the additions of shallots, Sichuan peppercorns and black beans. The iconic red bottle with the old Chinese lady on its label has a cult following globally. It’s indispensable in Asian cooking as a dipping sauce for dumplings, added to stir-fries or dolloped into noodle soups or curries. I simply couldn’t live without it and neither should you.
