Aldo Armato Peperoncino- Dried Red Pepper Flakes
The Armato family has been producing fine Italian products, from olive oil and condiments to preserved vegetables and pastas, at their mill in Liguria, Italy, for five generations. And these dried red pepper flakes are in a league of their own—full of flavor and potency that most grocery store versions lack. Fruity and packed with heat (beware to those wary of some spice), each high quality chili pepper used is sourced from Calabria. All peppers are washed and dried in the sun, then blended gently into rustic pieces. Use these flavorful flakes anywhere you want to add a hit of elevated heat, from scrambled eggs, pizza and noodles to vinaigrettes, beans and marinades.
Chita Organic Thai Sriracha Chili Sauce
Many mis-attribute sriracha to Vietnamese cuisine, thanks to the presence of sriracha bottles on the tables of most pho restaurants, but in reality, the condiment hails from Thailand. What we associate with sriracha sauce (the beloved green-capped bottle in almost every home and most diners) isn’t actually the same style as what you would find in Thailand. The Thai style is less acidic and slightly sweeter, with a thinner texture and mellower heat, and this one showcases those qualities perfectly. It’s sweeter and milder than the typical rooster-adorned bottle of sriracha you’re likely used to seeing, with much less of a vinegary tang. It has a distinct savory complexity thanks to the fermentation process and the addition of tropical-sweet pineapple vinegar—which they craft themselves—to boost the fruitiness of the chilies. A twist on the traditional.
Villa Jerada Aleppo Pepper
Fruity, subtly cumin flavored and only moderately spicy, coarse-ground Aleppo pepper is used throughout Middle Eastern cooking. We use it frequently and consider it a valuable flavoring for all manner of dishes that benefit from a little spark of heat. Villa Jerada’s sourcing is impeccable as these flakes are particularly moist and richly flavored.
Che Fico Calabrian Chili Bomba
The iconic condiment of San Francisco’s Che Fico restaurant, this Calabrian chili paste is incredible, with a pleasant texture and layered flavor that sets it apart from others we’ve tasted. Where most chili condiments have a one-note chili flavor, Che Fico’s features the fruity Calabrian chili at the forefront but also adds nuance with the additions of bright Fresno chilies, savory roasted garlic and a tangy vinegar that lingers on the palate. The juicy pulpiness of the peppers and the slick of oil is both pleasantly textural and somehow creamy and silky. The opening pop of slightly vinegary calabrian chili flavor is perfectly seasoned, but the following fade into garlic is what makes this feel appropriate for any and everything.
JookJangYeon Premium Gochujang
Made from chili pepper, sweet rice, malt and malt syrup and fermented for at least six months months in traditional crocks, Gochujang is basically a household name at this point. You can buy (crappy) bottles and jars of it at Walmart. But the important thing is to differentiate between the cheap, mass-produced versions and these top-quality versions. While most gochujangs on the market are thick, but will drip off your spoon, this one is more like a glossy ganache—spreadable and scoopable, yet decadently thick. It's clean and complex—a wonderful fruity chili flavor is the star, while it's rounded out with funky fermentation notes and a pleasant tingly heat. There's also a hint of effervescence akin to sake, or even a sparkling wine. Its sweetness is round and balanced, not sticky like most brands.
Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp
This chili sauce is enhanced with preserved black beans, mushroom powder, sesame oil and garlic for a complete flavor profile. The crispy bits of chili, the namesake ingredient of this dish, provide bursts of contrasting texture, making it an ideal tableside topping for stir fries, soups, braises and more.
Crazy Korean Cooking Chung Jung One Gochujang
Gochujang is a Korean hot pepper paste that has a savoriness similar to Japanese miso and is fermented with glutinous rice, which gives it a slightly sticky texture and subtle sweetness. It’s a real powerhouse ingredient that we’ve come to rely on and consider an essential element of the Milk Street pantry. Chung Jung One's version has an approachable, mild heat level for adding to everything from tofu stew to barbecue meats.
Villa Jerada Harissa
Villa Jerada’s Harissa No. 1 is our favorite version of this North African red pepper paste for its bright, complex flavor. While many store-bought varieties have a one-dimensional spicy flavor, this harissa layers acidity and fruitiness with preserved lemons, a touch of vinegar and tomato paste for a lively, tangy condiment. Villa Jerada uses just enough high-quality Moroccan olive oil to make the harissa spreadable and smooth without diluting its flavor, as opposed to conventional brands that contain a high proportion of water and vegetable oil.
Xilli Mole Negro
Rich and nearly black in color, mole negro is a centuries-old Oaxacan sauce that gets its smoky, deep flavor from toasted chilies and nuts and charred vegetables. Other pre-made mole pastes and powders we’ve tried are bland, chalky and bitter, but Xilli’s Mole Negro is the polar opposite. Prepared by hand in small batches, it’s smooth and decadent with a pleasant moderate heat. Upon first taste, you’ll notice deep earthy notes, followed by hints of bittersweet Oaxacan chocolate. The addition of ingredients like tomatillos, ginger, raisins and a variety of nuts also shine through in this mole, adding complexity and depth but not overpowering one another. Though it takes days to make, this mole is the perfect kitchen shortcut, offering decadent, long-cooked flavor in little time. And, since this mole negro is launching exclusively at Milk Street, so you won’t find it anywhere else.
Xilli Salsa Macha
Salsa macha is not readily available in grocery stores, but it’s worth it to track some down—especially if it’s this one from Xilli, which is made by hand in small batches. It has clear chili flavor— smokey, fruity, darkly roasted without being burnt—and a satisfying, crunchy texture from ground buttery, roasted peanuts and flakes of tender chili. They’re almost confetti-like suspended in the silky oil. The taste is dark and deep, but without any bitterness. Simple, yet still nuanced, it’s the perfect condiment.
Xilli Mole Poblano
This decadent mole takes 5 days and 30 different ingredients to make. And the effort is well worth it. Most pre-made mole pastes and powders we’ve tried in the States have been awful—at best, they are bland and at worst, they are chalky and bitter. Xilli’s Mole Poblano, prepared by hand in small batches using traditional methods, is the polar opposite: It’s smooth and decadent with a pleasant moderate heat. Once it hits the palate, it truly opens up into an extraordinary melody of tastes. The first flavor to pop out is earthy dark-sweet dried chili and chocolate. This gives way to a nuttiness that is almondy and smooth. There is a warming, woodsy spice to it, but it’s not sticking out in a prominent way—just enough to round out the cacao flavor. The sweetness is caramel-like, as though many of the ingredients were carefully roasted, but a subtle brightness keeps it from becoming cloying. Though it takes days to make, this mole is the perfect kitchen shortcut, offering decadent, long-cooked flavor in little time.
Xilli Chipotle Adobados
The adobo sauce from grocery stores can often taste too tomato-y, often diminishing the flavor and aroma of the chili. In this one, made by hand in small batches, that smoky chipotle flavor rings loud and clear. Five different pepper chili pepper varietals are used here to impart a layered, smoky-sweet taste. It’s not competing with the sauce, but being enhanced by it. It’s earthy, with a BBQ-like sweet smolder and quite spicy, but not too much. We especially love how the peppers themselves are soft and tender, with a braised, nearly spreadable suppleness.
El Sabor de Oaxaca Mole Coloradito
Milk Street is the only vendor in the U.S. that carries this decadent mole crafted in Oaxaca, Mexico. Lusciously smooth with a brick red hue, this mole is thick and rich, yet bright with robust chili flavor. A pleasant hint of garlic lingers at the base, while the almond’s fruity nuttiness plays up the paste’s subtle sweetness and emphasizes the paste’s pleasant heat. While many moles we sampled were too sugary, this one is perfectly balanced and can be sweetened to taste. Simply dilute with water or broth for a smooth sauce.
El Sabor de Oaxaca Mole Negro
Milk Street is the only vendor in the U.S. that carries this decadent mole crafted in Oaxaca, Mexico. The black paste yields a velvet-smooth sauce when diluted with water or stock that leads with aromatic sweet chili notes from four different chili varietals. The taste then transitions into layers of nutty richness from peanuts, walnuts and almonds. A touch of bitterness and moderate hit of heat rounds out the complex range of flavors. While many moles we sampled were too sugary, this one is perfectly balanced and can be sweetened to taste.
KariKari Garlic Chili Crisp
We were blown away by this Garlic Chili Crisp from KariKari. We find most chili crisps tend to be mostly oil, but this version is incredibly textured with thin slivers of golden garlic, shallots and peanuts—not surprising since the name KariKari which means crunchy in Japanese. Garlicky and spicy off the bat, followed with a hit of umami and a delightful tingling from Sichuan peppercorn, you can add this crisp to just about any dish for more flavor and complexity. We like it mixed into noodles, rice, veggies and dolloped on top of fried eggs. Or try it spooned over vanilla ice cream for a sweet and spicy treat.
Banhoek Chili Oil
Blank Slate Kitchen Sichuan Chili Oil
Fragrant Sichuan chili oil is as common in Chinese restaurants as ketchup is in American diners. Blank Slate's Kitchen small-batch rendition pairs the heat of chili with zesty ginger and aromatic shallots and garlic for an especially bright flavor.
Empress Pineapple Miso Hot Sauce
Made and bottled in Taiwan, this small-batch hot sauce features Taiwan-grown pineapples sourced from family farms and a hint of miso. Inspired by the flavor of tacos al pastor, savory miso, fruity chilies and bright, acidic pineapple combine to make a mild-to-moderate hot sauce. It’s excellent in a marinade, thanks to pineapple’s natural ability to tenderize; we love it in grilling and basting sauces. It’s also wonderful on pizza, thanks to its smooth and pourable consistency.