Vietnamese Heaven Facing Chiles

If you’ve been cooking with a dusty, generic jar of “crushed red pepper,” believe me when I say it’s time for an upgrade.

These small, dark red chiles grow up towards the sky (hence the name) in the Central Highlands region of Vietnam, and they’re carefully minced and dried to preserve their distinctive fruitiness. With a moderate heat similar to cayenne, they’re so bright and fragrant that every time I use them I can’t believe how much flavor I was missing before.

Sprinkle them on any dish that needs an extra dose of spice, stir them into dipping sauces, or bloom them in oil for your own chili oil.