What is chili crisp?

Chili crisp is an oily, textured condiment made from chili flakes. I’ve always thought of it as a spicy condiment, similar to sriracha and ketchup. But, Jing Gao, the founder of Fly By Jing, a modern Asian food company whose bestselling item is Sichuan Chili Crisp, shared another perspective that I hadn’t thought of: “It’s a popular type of Chinese hot sauce or chili sauce that’s oil-based. It’s textured, savory, umami, and complements a lot of flavors,” says Jing. “It’s a type of hot sauce. I like saying this because it shows that you don’t have to be afraid to use it.”