Use a mandoline to slice the shallots into 4mm-thick rings.

Slice the garlic crossways into very thin chips, about 2mm thick.

Preheat a cast-iron frying pan over medium-high heat.

Once it’s hot, reduce the heat to low, add 4 or 5 of the dried chillies, and toast, flipping with tongs occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until they soften slightly, change colour, and become fragrant.

Repeat until you’ve toasted all the chillies.

Wearing disposable gloves, seed, de-stalk, and remove the ribs from the Anaheim and guajillo chillies.

Remove the stalks from the Calabrian chillies but leave the seeds behind.

Working in batches, use a spice grinder to grind the chillies down to the size of chilli flakes.

Transfer to a large heatproof bowl or pot along with both sesame seeds, the sugar, Sichuan peppercorns, black pepper, cinnamon stick pieces, and salt.

If there is any skin on the peanuts, place them on a clean tea towel and gather the ends to form a pouch.

Rub the pouch of peanuts between your hands.

Place the peanuts in a colander or sieve and shake off as much skin as possible.

Pound the peanuts in a mortar with a pestle until no whole pieces remain.

Add to the bowl of chillies and set aside.

Line a baking tray with kitchen paper and set a fine-mesh sieve over a medium saucepan.

In a second medium saucepan, combine the shallots and neutral oil and place over medium-high heat.

Cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots begin to bubble vigorously, 3 to 4 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium and, with the shallots constantly bubbling, continue frying until the shallots turn pale golden brown, 18 to 22 minutes longer.

Quickly and carefully pour the shallots and the oil into the prepared sieve, draining the oil into the medium saucepan below.

Carefully spread out the shallots to cool on the prepared pan and sprinkle lightly with salt.

Reset the now-empty sieve over the pan you cooked the shallots in and set aside.

Place the saucepan with the strained oil over medium heat and heat to 120°C.

Add the garlic and reduce the heat to medium-low.

Cook, stirring, until the garlic begins to take on the faintest hint of colour, 4 to 5 minutes.

Quickly and carefully pour the garlic and the oil into the sieve, draining the oil into the empty saucepan.

Carefully break up any clumps and spread out the garlic to cool alongside the shallots; sprinkle lightly with salt.

Return the oil to 120°C over medium heat and pour it over the bowl of chillies.

Stir to combine, then set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.

Add the shallots, garlic, olive oil, sesame oil, and MSG (if using) to the bowl with the chillies.

Stir, taste, and adjust the salt as needed.

Pour into a 1-litre jar, top with more olive oil if desired, cover, and refrigerate indefinitely.