Laoganma Chilli in Oil. $ 3.59 for 275g.

Ingredients ( greatest quantity first) Soybean oil

This is marketed as an oil, but it’s more a sludge of chillies and peanuts with some oil on top. Soybean oil is extracted from soybeans and is full of healthy fats.

Chilli ( 23 per cent)

This jar is chock full of chillis, yet the taste is quite mild.

Peanuts Bean paste

This will be soybean paste, which is in here as a thickener and also a flavour.

Flavour enhancer ( 621)

Yes this is MSG, which many people avoid as they can suffer burning sensations, numbness, chest pain, headache, nausea and asthma. So if you are one of those you won’t want to eat this.

Salt

This is a high salt product at 713mg sodium per 27.5g serving.

Sugar

A tiny bit of sugar in here at 0.5g per 27.5g serve. It will be in here for flavour.

My recommendations

This is delicious stirred through rice for lunch, as a marinade for prawns or chicken, or simply served in a bowl to dip corn chips in — one of my favourite uses. MSG is, however, a concern for those who have an allergy to it.

Goodbye Wendyl — and thanks for your wonderful words in the past seven years — Editor.