Crispy Chili Oil is so Hot Right Now

… But will it pass the oyster litmus test?

Firstly, for those who haven’t tried Japanese chili crisp (also known as La-Yu), it’s like a crunchy, savory, mildly spicy oil, which is deeply aromatic and carries a strong umami flavor. The “crunch” is from a handful of dried ingredients like fried garlic, chili pepper flakes, almonds, fried onion, and sesame seeds. ⁣

Lately, it’s been popping up in egg recipes, ramen, and many dishes that traditionally involve sriracha. ⁣

Nutty, herbal flavors already come natural to an oyster, so will it work? The resounding answer is yes.

Dropping a little dollop on top of your half shell offers enhanced spice, meatiness, and texture. At first, I was afraid that the crunch might put me off, like grit might feel like when slurping. I was wrong! It was more empowering to feel a subtle crunch in the heat, without the fear of breaking a tooth. ⁣

We have the Japanese S&B Crunchy Garlic Topping Chili Oil La-Yu, but you can find many varieties.⁣

I dressed up lovely WiAnno Oysters from the Cape for the experiment. ⁣It’s therapeutic to me to make them look so lovely.