Lao Gan Ma Chili Crisp with Mushroom

There are so many kinds of Lao Gan Ma chili crisp and I think Lao Gan Ma with shiitake mushroom is the most underrated one! The shiitake mushrooms add a lot of flavor and texture to the chili sauce, upgrading it to another level! I’ve created the classic Lao Gan Ma chili sauce with fermented soy bean before and this recipe is another recreation of Lao Gan Ma’s shiitake mushroom sauce. 

Contrary to the classic Lao Gan Ma chili oil sauce, there are a lot more ingredients that go in this chili sauce, making it a more savory and flavorful one. Some of the ingredients include doubanjiang, fermented soybean paste, and fermented soybean (dou chi). The aromatics include garlic, ginger and green onion. Seasonings include salt, sugar and Sichuan peppercorn powder. 

How to prepare chili flakes?

You can of course buy chili flakes from a store however I like to roast and blend my own chili flakes. The advantage is that you can pick out the chilies you like. For example, I love the variety called “er jing tiao” from Sichuan for its mild spiciness and maximum flavor. You can also mix in spicier varieties to spice up the chili sauce such as Thai chili and chili arbol from Mexico.

 Simply toast the dry chilies on a pan or wok on medium to low heat. There is no additional oil needed but a little can be added to coat the pan. When the skin starts to turn black and you can also smell the pepper aroma coming out, remove chilies to a blender. Next step is just blend up the chili to chili flakes. I like to keep some larger pieces for texture and not blend too fine! 

What is Lao Gan Ma used for?

Lao Gan Ma chili sauce can be used for basically anything you’d like to add flavor to! For example you can make a simple dipping sauce using lao gan ma, soy sauce and sesame oil. It can be used for creating Chinese cold salads and noodles as well! You can also use it on bread, eggs, and roasted potatoes to improve flavor. It’s a very versatile Chinese condiment. 

What does Lao Gan Ma taste like?

Lao Gan Ma is made with a variety of ingredients such as chili flakes, fermented soybean, ginger, garlic, and Chinese spices etc. The flavors can vary depending on the type of Lao Gan Ma. But most Lao Gan Ma have a very aromatic chili oil taste with a hint of savory! 

Is Lao Gan Ma very spicy?

The answer is no. In general the store bought Lao Gan Ma is mildly spicy and very aromatic. However if you make Lao Gan Ma at home, you can blend in spicy varieties of chili peppers to make the chili sauce more spicy! 

What kind of oil should I use for Lao Gan Ma?

You can use any neutral oil. Rapeseed oil is recommended. Peanut oil, canola oil are also good options! 

Ingredients(Amazon product links):

Neutral Oil 2 cup

Fresh shiitake mushroom 200 g

Dry Chili pepper 60g

Doubanjiang 60g

Douchi 40g

Green onion (white part): 40g （finely chop 渣渣）

Ginger 10g

Garlic 10g

Soybean paste 10g

Peanuts 30g

Salt 1 tsp

Sugar 1 tsp

Sichuan Peppercorn powder  1/2 tsp

Instructions:

1. Measure out the ingredients. Chop shiitake mushrooms into cubes. Finely chop white part of the green onion. Grate ginger and garlic. Finely chop doubanjiang so there are no large pieces left. 
2. Roast chili peppers in a wok or pan until skin starts to darken. Remove to a blender and blend until your desired flake size. I like to keep some larger pieces for texture. 
3. Heat up oil in a saucepan or pot until bubbles come out when testing with a chopstick. Keep the heat on medium low and add in the mushrooms. Slowly fry the mushrooms for about 10 minutes or until mushrooms start to soften and darken in color. Remove with a strainer and set aside. 
4. Add in chili flakes in the oil. Use a temperature gun to make sure the oil temperature is around 120 Celsius or 248 Fahrenheit. If the temperature is too high, turn off the fire and let the oil cool down before moving forward. 
5. Keep stirring the chili oil and add in Douchi (fermented soybean), doubanjiang, soybean paste, peanuts, garlic, ginger and green onion. Stir until all the ingredients blend in well. Turn off the heat.
6. Add in salt, sugar and Sichuan peppercorn powder for seasoning. Add in fried mushrooms and mix well. Let it cool. 
7. Bottle in an airtight jar and store in a fridge. 
8. Rest for 24 hours before consuming.