Chile Crunch

Ingredients

• 4 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 bulbs of garlic, separated into cloves and sliced
• 1 1/2 cups neutral oil
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 6 star anise pods
• 1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
• 1/4 cup crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sugar

Directions

Bring the shallots, garlic, oil, cinnamon, and star anise to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, reducing heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer and swirling the pot occasionally, until the garlic and shallots are browned and crisp, 20-25 minutes. (Take your time-you want to drive all the moisture out before they brown.)

Mix the ginger, red pepper, soy sauce, and sugar in a medium bowl. Strain the shallot mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over the ginger mixture. Let the garlic and shallot cool in the sieve (this will allow them to crisp further) before stirring back into the chile oil.

Cover and chill. Store for up to a month.