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chili oil
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Chili oil (Hong You 辣椒油)

Are you ready to unlock the secret to making authentic Chinese chili oil? This essential condiment is the heart and soul of many classic dishes, especially those from the bold and flavorful Sichuan cuisine.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: chili oil, chilli

Ingredients

  • 1½ cup peanut canola oil
  • ¾ cup chili flakes
  • 5 pcs star anise seeds
  • 1 pcs cinnamon stick preferably cassia
  • 2 pcs bay leaves
  • 3 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns
  • 2 pcs black cardamom pods
  • 1 tablespoon ginger cut into pieces
  • 2 teaspoons cloves
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt

You can also add

  • 3 pcs garlic cloves crushed
  • 1-2 pcs shallots cut in half

Instructions

  • Pour the oil into the pot, add the star anise, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, Szechuan pepper, cardamom, ginger, cloves, garlic and shallots if using. Set over medium heat to start and then gradually reduce the heat to medium-low or low once the oil is hot. The oil should be about 110-120°C and should cause small bubbles to slowly rise from the spices. Allow to infuse for at least 30 minutes, but up to 1 hour for best results.
  • If you are using garlic and shallots, the oil will bubble a little more intensely due to the water content in them. Once you see bubbles, the temperature can range between 110-120°C. If you notice the spices sizzling more strongly or darkening too quickly, lower the temperature.
  • When the garlic and shallots turn brown, remove them from the oil so they don't burn.
  • Mix the chilli flakes and sugar in a bowl. Build a sort of volcano out of the powder. Pour half of the oil into the opening of the 'volcano', stirring vigorously. Attention! The chilli flakes will sizzle at first. If you do it right, you will know by smelling the "popcorn" smell - you should not smell the burn at all. It's not a bad idea to test the temperature of the oil on a small amount of chilli flakes, but don't delay as the oil will cool quickly.
  • Wait 7 minutes and pour in half the remaining oil.
  • Wait another 5 minutes and pour in the remaining oil.
  • Stir the chili flakes and oil after each pour to evenly distribute the heat from the oil. Stir the salt into the chili oil at the very end. Store in a clean jar in the fridge, it will keep for at least half a year.

Notes

You can add a tablespoon of black rice vinegar to the chilli flakes before pouring in the hot oil. This will prevent the chilli flakes from burning at the higher temperature of the oil. Plus, it will add extra flavour to your oil.
If you use sesame seeds, they should be lightly toasted. Mix them with the chilli flakes before pouring in the heated oil.