Name: Chili Oil
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2 persons
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients: 1 cup Sichuan Chili Flakes; 1 1/4 cups Vegetable Oil; 2 Shallots peeled; 4 cloves Garlic peeled; 2 x Star Anise whole; 4 Cloves whole; 2 teaspoons Sea Salt; 1/4 cup Toasted Sesame Oil; 2 tablespoons Sesame Seeds

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Adding Chili Oil to your dishes can elevate them to a new level adding a burst of aromatics, spice, and flavor. The benefits of making homemade chili oil are you can play around with different infusions and types of Chiles you use and control the amount of heat, resulting anywhere from burning hot to mild, depending on your preferences.

There are wide varieties of chili peppers in the world. To list a few, the mildest Anaheim Chili provides a touch of smoke and spice. The Cascabel Chili is gentle and used in the Mexican chili oil sauce for the ever-trending Birria tacos. Ancho Chilies have medium spice and are used in making Adobo sauce. Chipotle peppers have spicy and smoky flavors. Everyone loves an excellent chipotle ranch dressing. Bird's eye chilies should be used sparingly, as these are one of the hottest and used in Asian cuisine, especially Thai dishes. Korean red chilies are spicy and used to make the famous Korean dish Gochugaru. Finally, the last one is used for this chili oil Sichuan chilies. They look similar to Italian chili flakes but are smaller, providing a richer flavor and a deep red color for chili oil.

We're using a Chinese-style chili oil recipe by infusing star anise, cloves, shallots, and garlic into neutral vegetable oil, then pouring the hot bubbling oil over the Sichuan chili flakes adding toasted sesame oil, salt, and sesame seeds to the finished chili oil. Toss this oil with your favorite noodle dish, add it to fried rice or stir-fry or use it as a dipping sauce for dumplings.

It keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 months and gets better with age. So soon, you'll add your favorite chili oil infusion to everything you can get your hands on.

What is chili oil good for?

Chili oil can be added to almost any dish, including mixed into rice, as a dipping sauce, or to soups and stews.

Is chili oil very spicy?

The benefit of making homemade chili oil is that you can control the heat by using mild or extremely hot Chiles. Adjust this to your preferences.

Do you refrigerate chili oil?

Chili oils containing fresh ingredients such as shallots or garlic directly inside the oil should be refrigerated. Infused oils containing only dried ingredients can be left outside the fridge in airtight jars. However, over time, oil jars that are not sealed will get rancid and have an unpleasant taste. To guarantee your chili oil stays fresh, it's a good idea to keep it stored in the fridge.

Is chili oil good for your heart?

As with any oils, they contain a high amount of fat. However, by using vegetable oil, you have the added health benefits that these oils don't contain cholesterol. Like anything in life, use chili oil in moderation and consume a healthy balanced diet.

Equipment Needed

Chef's Knife

Cutting Board

Fine Mesh Strainer

Glass Storage Container

Large Mixing Bowl

Medium Heavy Bottom Pot

Wooden Spoon

Author: Jennifer Dodd

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Serves

2 persons

Ingredients

1 cup Sichuan Chili Flakes
1 1/4 cups Vegetable Oil
2 Shallots, peeled
4 cloves Garlic, peeled
2 x Star Anise, whole
4 Cloves, whole
2 teaspoons Sea Salt
1/4 cup Toasted Sesame Oil
2 tablespoons Sesame Seeds

Instructions

Add the shallots, garlic, star anise, cloves and oil to a heavy bottom medium pot. Setting the temperature to medium low heat.

Overview of a pot containing oil and aromatics

Let the oil infuse for 20 minutes. If the shallots and garlic get too dark in the process, remove them, making your oil bitter. Add the Sichuan chili flakes to large stainless steel or thick glass bowl. You don't want to use plastic bowls or utensils as the oil will be very hot & you'll watch the plastic melt away.