How to Make Chili Oil (辣椒油)

Name: How to Make Chili Oil (辣椒油)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Yield: 1 cup chili oil
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons Chinese chili flakes; 2 teaspoons five spice powder; 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds; 1 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorn; 1 whole star anise; 2 bay leaves; 1 cup vegetable oil; 1 piece thinly sliced ginger

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Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Servings
1 cup chili oil
Calories
120 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Chinese

How to Make Chili Oil (辣椒油)

Justin Wright

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Making chili oil at home might seem like a daunting task at first, but once you understand the key steps, it only takes five minutes to make the best-tasting chili oil with extra fragrance, nuttiness and smokiness!

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Ingredients

Servings

4 tablespoons Chinese chili flakes (*footnote 1)
2 teaspoons five spice powder
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorn
1 whole star anise (Optional)
2 bay leaves
1 cup vegetable oil (or grapeseed oil)
1 piece thinly sliced ginger (Optional)

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Instructions

Combine chili flakes, five spice powder, sesame seeds, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, and bay leaves in a heatproof ceramic bowl that can hold at least 2 cups liquid. Place the bowl on a heat resistant coaster.
Heat oil in a wok (or a skillet) over medium-high heat. Add ginger. When the ginger starts to wither and turns golden brown, immediately turn off the heat. The oil should reach 370 degrees F (190 C) and no higher than 400 F (200 C) if read with an instant thermometer.
Carefully pour oil or use a ladle to transfer oil into the bowl of mixed spices. The oil will bubble for a few seconds and cook the spices. While the the oil is bubbling, use a metal spoon to stir gently to mix the spices, so they’ll cook thoroughly.
When the oil cools down a bit, scoop out and discard the star anise and bay leaf.
The oil is now ready to use! Its flavor will mature if you let it rest for a day, allowing the spices to infuse into the oil.
The oil can be stored covered at room temperature for two weeks, or up to six months in the fridge in an airtight container.

Notes

(1) To create chili oil with a beautiful red color without being too spicy, use Sichuan chili flakes. The chili flakes are made with premium peppers that have a vibrant color with fewer chili seeds. Alternatively, if you cannot find the type, use Korean chili flakes. It is possible to use chili powder as well, but this tends to make the chili oil very spicy with a yellowish color.