Lan Chi Chili Paste with Garlic
In retail, there’s Amazon. In Asian condiments, there’s Lee Kum Kee. This maker of good-but-not-great sauces and relishes has been gobbling up shelf space in Oriental markets to the detriment of smaller brands, notably Lan Chi.
Lan Chi used to have a dozen facings at my nearest local source, Asian Supermarket in Albany. Today they’re gone. The greatest loss is Lan Chi Chili Paste with Garlic, a complex and multifaceted product (in addition to potent amount of roasted chili and funky garlic, it also contains fermented black beans) that’s the perfect foil to a Chinese lunch or a dim sum platter. I’m not alone in this preference; ask any knowledgeable chef which Chinese chili sauce they prefer and they’ll say Lan Chi.
When my backup supply finally ran out, I assumed I’d be able to pick up a jar on a trip to San Francisco Chinatown. But no luck in half a dozen establishments. I began to wonder what had happened and of course consulted Facebook, where Lan Chi Foods had last posted in 2012: “Life is good…sleeping in the hammock enjoying #slumvillage, #macallen18 and a full moon!” A couple of people responded to the post by asking where the Chili Garlic Paste had gone, but there were no replies. One guesses the business has passed to a new generation where preserving the brand is not the highest priority.
I did find a few online sources, fortunately, and placed a successful order at Kim’s Asian Market. The shipping was a flat $6.99 so I was able to bring the per-jar cost down by ordering multiples. (If you’re in a hurry, this source will sell it to you via Amazon Prime, but you’ll pay.) I advise you to do the same. A jar lasts me about 3 years, so divide your life expectancy by that number and purchase accordingly before this manna goes away for good.
I was wondering what happened to Lan Chi. Now, I knew why I can’t find it anywhere. I couldn’t find it in Boston nor in Ohio and I thought I wasn’t looking for it at the right grocery store that carries it. So sad because as you said others brands are just not as good. If you have a lead where I can purchase it, please let me know.
Thank you.
Tj.
If you read the post to the end, there are two mail order sources in the last paragraph.
it’s not available on Amazon and Kim’s site is down for a while now.
Ouch! I see what you mean. Kim’s says the website is undergoing maintenance …. I went to the home page and submitted a request in their contact form. Will report back if they respond. (or you can try it yourself.)
As of 27 March 2023 Lan Chi chili paste with garlic is still out of stock at Amazon and Kim’s Asian market is stIll under construction.
Doesn’t look good. I’ve long ago run through my supply and the many chili crisp variations are no substitute.
I finally found a reasonable replacement!
Ming Teh Broad Bean Paste with Chili is quite similar, both texture, spiciness and sourness.
Well that is awesome. Must check it out and fortunately I have an ancient jar of Lan Chi to compare it to. Here’s a photo link to take to your local Asian market https://justasianfood.com/products/ming-teh-broad-bean-paste-with-chili-16-2oz?variant=33070824882221¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_campaign=gs-2022-05-25&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign&gclid=CjwKCAjwyeujBhA5EiwA5WD7_eXoC542ijFBiScAmLG7a9pnQkyTCBUQ0DYR600MtuZMN8Cn_cY7aRoCN1sQAvD_BwE
yes that’s the one. That said, Lan Chi claims to only use chili and not beans.
I did some additional research (yay for chatgpt) and it looks like the underlying “broad bean” goes by the English words pixian, douban, doubanjiang, etc.
I’ve ordered a bunch of different pastes from amazon ETA wed this week, and I’ll experiment with recreating the Lan Chi flavor profile… it’s from memory but I ate Lan Chi for decades and should remember enough to get close. fun story: I once got a batch of the same chilis (fresh) that Huy Fong uses for sriracha, copied the rest of the ingredients from the back of the label, guesstimated the proportions, blended it in a cuisinart, stuck it in the fridge and … it tasted like sriracha! (facepalm: all that work including cleaning… to save $4…)
https://www.malafood.com/en/the-unrivaled-guide-to-pixian-doubanjiang
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07J12JCD6
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084DGK79M
If you want to talk offline, drop me an email.
This is very exciting… let us know how your mixing experiment goes.
update! the amazon shipments arrived and they’re all excellent. The keywords are “doubanjiang,” “pixian” and “broad bean sauce”. Also, turns out it’s the central ingredient for mapo tofu, which is good because 1 lb packs of sauce is a lot to consume as a condiment!
We’ve got a taste comparison of doubanjiang sauces if you do a search. But you are going to make a Lan Chi replica? That’s a little different. Deeper chili notes, and no broad beans.
y totally agree – but for me, the broad bean sauces supplant the need for Lan Chi, i.e. a super intense burst of flavor in a chunky/liquidy texture. I kinda like the beans where Lan Chi (if I recall) is just a paste. Also, Lan Chi has a bit of oil which just needs to be added to doubanjiang.
last night, I wok fried a big wad of doubanjiang with crumbled tofu, small vegetables (oyster mushroom, shredded carrot, pickled mustard greens), minced aromatics (garlic, ginger, mala peppercorns, green peppercorn) and base liquids (soy, dark vinegar, white vinegar, broth). It wasn’t mapo tofu but whatever you want to call it, it was delicious!
5 jars for sale on eBay!!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/364812939629
For $60…. but if you gotta have it that’s not a bad deal.