Kong Chili – Crunchy Crisps Chili

Bitter: ⭐⭐⭐✰✰

Salty: ⭐⭐⭐✰✰

Sour/Tangy: ⭐✰✰✰✰

Sweet: ⭐✰✰✰✰

Umami: ⭐⭐✰✰✰

Heat: ⭐⭐✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰

Quick Flavor Notes: Chili, sesame, numbing, citrusy, earthy

Texture: Crunchy and crispy, somewhat oily

Recommended: Yes

Ingredients: Chili, Wheat Flour, Sesame Seeds, Palm Oil, Salt, Sichuan Pepper, Spices

Guizhou, located in southwestern China and bordering the provinces of Sichuan and Yunnan, may not be a name most people in the west are familiar with. It doesn’t have the name recognition of Chengdu or Chongqing, the famous hotbeds of fiery Sichuan cuisine. However, Guizhou has a secret – it produces the most chili peppers in China and is the source of the vast majority of those peppers used in Sichuan and Hunan cuisine. Guizhou is also home to a famous brand many of us are familiar with – Lao Gan Ma.

Since discovering the delights of dry snackable chili crisps when I tried a Thai version made by Chili Boys I’ve been wanting to experience other varieties. The Chili Boys version relied on some Thai spices and uses Thai chiles. This Chinese version by Kong Chili uses Chinese peppers and has a distinctly Sichuan flavor profile. While there are similarities between both products – chilis fried in oil with wheat flour, sesame, and spices, the addition of the Sichuan peppercorns in this one gives the signature ma la, or numbing and spicy, flavor profile of the Sichuan region.

These do have a nutty and roasted flavor, similar to the product by the Chili Boys, but there are some key differences as well. The Kong Chili Crunchy Crisps Chili have a lighter flavor compared to the Chili Boys product, a little bit less umami rich, and lighter on the sesame flavor. While I felt that Chili Boys was similar to eating a dry version of Lao Gan Ma, the Kong Chili version has its own unique taste. The Sichuan peppercorns make a big difference on their own – adding an earthy and citrusy flavor to the chilis and of course also bringing some of that numbing flavor which is not only a cool feeling but also alters other tastes. I feel that this Kong Chili version may also be just a tad spicier, though neither product is particularly hot. While I believe that the Chili Boys Crunchy Chili Crisps had more whole chilis (as opposed to broken) and larger chilis overall, Kong Chili is still every by as crispy and fresh tasting.

Kong Chili Crunchy Crisps Chili gets my recommendation. They’re a tasty snack and I do love the addition of the Sichuan peppercorns here, that tingly numbing sensation when combined with spice is addictive. This product is also all natural with no artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, or fillers.