How to Make Chili Oil

🥘 Ingredients

Aromatics

• Sichuan peppercorns
  3 tbsp
• bay leaves
  2
• black cardamom (optional)
  2
• cinnamon stick
  1
• cloves (optional)
  2 tsp
• dried sand ginger (optional)
  1 tbsp
• garlic (optional - crushed)
  3
• shallots (optional - halved)
  1-2
• star anise
  5

Preparation

• Sichuan chili flakes
  ¾-1¼ cups
• garlic (crushed)
• neutral oil
  1½-3 cups
• salt
  1-2 teaspoons
• shallots (halved)

Optional final add-ins

• Chinese black vinegar (optional)
• raw garlic (optional)
• sesame oil (optional)
• soy sauce (optional)
• toasted sesame seeds (optional)

🍳 Cookware

• pot

Aromatics

1. 1

   Gather the essential spices: At a minimum, you'll need 4 aromatic spices: star anise , cinnamon stick , bay leaves , Sichuan peppercorns .

   star anise: 5, cinnamon stick: 1, bay leaves: 2, Sichuan peppercorns: 3 tbsp
2. 2

   Gather any optional aromatics you want to use: If you want a bit more flavor and complexity, you can also add three additional spices: black cardamom , dried sand ginger , cloves . You can also add fresh garlic and/or shallots to the oil infusion.

   black cardamom: 2 (optional), dried sand ginger: 1 tbsp (optional), cloves: 2 tsp (optional), garlic: 3 (optional - crushed), shallots: 1-2 (optional - halved)

Preparation

1. 1

   Gather all the aromatics you plan to use. Place neutral oil into a pot with at least two inches of clearance between the oil and the rim of the pot. If using minimum aromatics, 1½ cups of oil should do it. If using all the aromatics, you can add up to 3 cups of oil.

   neutral oil: 1½-3 cups
2. 2

   Set it over medium heat to start, then progressively lower it to medium low or low heat as the oil comes to temperature. The oil should be at about 225-250° F / 110-120° C and causing small bubbles to slowly rise from the aromatics. If you notice the spices sizzling more vigorously than that or turning dark too quickly, reduce the heat to cool it down. If you are not achieving small bubbles, slowly increase the heat. Hovering around 200-225° F is the safest way to prevent burning. Infuse the aromatics this way for a minimum of ⏱️ 30 minutes , or up to ⏱️ 60 minutes for best results. Also, when garlic and shallots get brown all over, remove them from the oil so they don’t burn.

   garlic (crushed), shallots (halved)
3. 3

   While the oil is infusing, prepare your Sichuan chili flakes by placing them in a heatproof bowl. If you used 1½ cups of oil, ¾ cup of chili flakes is best. For 3 cups of oil, use 1¼ cups of chili flakes. You can experiment within this range (if you like more oil and fewer flakes, for instance).

   Sichuan chili flakes: ¾-1¼ cups
4. 4

   You can either heat your oil and pour it through a fine-meshed strainer OR remove the spices first with a fine-meshed strainer. If your spices are very dark by the time you get to this step, to avoid burning, it's safest to remove the spices entirely before pouring over the chili flakes. If your chili flakes are very fresh, with a higher moisture content (they'll be a deeper, brighter red), the oil temperature should be at 325°-350° F/163-177° C to achieve the correct sizzling effect. If you have drier chili flakes and you like a darker color, opt for 250°-275° F/120°-135° C. If your chili flakes are already super roasted and darker, you may want to be closer to 225°-250° F/110°-120° C. Your best bet is to test your oil temperature on a small amount of chili flakes to make sure it’s to your liking, but don’t dawdle, as the oil will cool as it sits. When in doubt, test the oil on a small bowl of chili flakes before you do the rest.
5. 5

   Carefully pour the hot oil through a strainer onto the chili flakes. Stir to evenly distribute the heat of the oil. You'll know you've gotten it right when you smell a "popcorn"-like smell that is not at all burnt-smelling.
6. 6

   Stir in salt , and allow the chili oil to cool. Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Always use a clean utensil when handling to prevent spoilage. It can last for up to about 6 months if handled in this way.

   salt: 1-2 teaspoons

Optional final add-ins

1. 1

   Whether or not you add anything further is totally up to personal preference. Add-ins include: toasted sesame seeds , Chinese black vinegar , sesame oil , soy sauce , and raw garlic .

   toasted sesame seeds (optional), Chinese black vinegar (optional), sesame oil (optional), soy sauce (optional), raw garlic (optional)
2. 📝

   Raw garlic should be added to smaller amounts of chili oil to be consumed immediately or not too long thereafter and definitely stored in the refrigerator if you are making ahead.