Making Chili Oil
Chili oil is made by heating neutral oil with aromatics like ginger, star anise, and cinnamon before pouring it over a bowl of dried chili flakes. The oil must be hot enough to toast the flakes without burning them, turning the mixture a deep, dark red as it cools.
Watch the temperature closely
The difference between toasted, fragrant flakes and bitter, blackened ash is only a few seconds of overheating. Have your heatproof bowl ready and nearby before you turn the stove on.
- Small saucepan
- Heatproof glass or metal bowl
- Fine mesh strainer
- Glass jar for storage
What goes in.
- 1 cupneutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola
- 1/2 cupcoarse red chili flakes (Sichuan style or crushed dried red chilies)
- 1star anise
- 1 small stickcinnamon
- 2 slicesfresh ginger, smashed
- 1 tspSichuan peppercorns
Controlled Thermal Extraction
Slowly heating aromatics in the oil builds a base of flavor before the high-heat pour releases the primary color and heat from the chili flakes.
The method.
Prepare the chili base
Place the chili flakes and a pinch of salt into a heatproof glass bowl. Do not use plastic.
Infuse the oil
Combine the oil, star anise, cinnamon, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns in the saucepan over medium-low heat. Let it simmer gently for 10 minutes until the ginger browns and the oil is fragrant.
Strain the aromatics
Remove the pan from the heat. Use the strainer to remove and discard the whole spices and ginger. Pour the clear, infused oil back into the pan and return it to the heat.
The pour
Bring the oil to a point where a single chili flake tossed in sizzles immediately. Carefully pour the hot oil over the bowl of chili flakes. It will bubble vigorously; this is normal.
Cool and store
Stir the oil gently and let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour. Once fully cool, transfer to a clean glass jar.
Other turns to take.
Crunchy style
Add 2 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds or fried garlic bits into the bowl with the chili flakes before the pour.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If the oil starts smoking, take it off the heat immediately; it is already too hot.
Use high-quality dried chilies; if they smell like old dust in the bag, they will taste like old dust in the oil.
Store in a dark cupboard to maintain color intensity.
The ones that keep coming up.
How long does this keep?
Kept in an airtight glass container, it stays fresh for about a month at room temperature.
Why did my oil turn black?
The oil was likely too hot when it hit the flakes, causing them to char instantly rather than release their color.
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