THE Classic Hot Chilli Oil 红油辣椒

Name: THE Classic Hot Chilli Oil 红油辣椒
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 cup Dried chilli flakes; 400 ml Vegetable oil; 2 tbsp White sesame seeds; 1 Star anise; 1 Chinese black cardamon

AuthorYun Zhang JohnCategoryPlant BasedDifficultyBeginnerRating

Yields1 Serving

Prep Time5 minsCook Time5 minsTotal Time10 mins

THE Classic Hot Chilli Oil 红油辣椒

Like soy sauce and Chinese black vinegar, chilli oil aka hot oil aka 红油辣椒 is indispensable in any Sichuan kitchen. But unlike its counter parts, chilli oil is almost, always, better homemade rather than store bought.

Even though there are whole aisles at Asian grocery stores devoted to various chilli oils from numerous regions, to me, you just can’t bottle up and preserve the fragrance of a hot sizzling chilli oil. Not to mention that you can easily customize YOUR oil to suit personal preferences.

Do you like it spicer? Choose a Thai chilli powder rather than a Korean one.

Which spices and aromatics do you want to include? Ginger? Garlic? Star anise?…etc

Do you want to add salt, or leave it salt free?

It’s all up to you!

I love chilli oil in all forms, but in my kitchen, and the kitchens of my mom and her mom and so on, there will always be THE Classic. A simple recipe that showcases the flavours of the dried chilli. No competing spices or aromatics because the focus is solely on the fragrance of the chilli.

This is a traditional hot oil that you will find in most Sichuan kitchens. No salt is added, because this acts as a base for so many different applications in so many dishes.

Easy and cheap to make at home, one whiff and your mouth will start to water…or is that just me?

You Will Need

1 cup Dried chilli flakesChoose one that suit your spice preference

400 ml Vegetable oilOr any other neutral tasting oil

2 tbsp White sesame seedsThis is optional

1 Star anise

1 Chinese black cardamon

Instructions

Put chilli flakes and sesame seeds (if using) into a heat proof dish or container.

Heat up oil with the star anise and cardamon over medium high heat. Watch it carefully and do not walk away! Once you see smoke start to rise up from the oil, remove from heat.

CAREFULLY pour the oil on the chilli. Do it in intervals and mix it up after each pour. This way you can control the heat and avoid scorching the chilli flakes. This will provide any over flow.

Let it cool down and store in an air tight container, it will keep for many weeks.

Ingredients

1 cup Dried chilli flakesChoose one that suit your spice preference

400 ml Vegetable oilOr any other neutral tasting oil

2 tbsp White sesame seedsThis is optional

1 Star anise

1 Chinese black cardamon

Directions

Put chilli flakes and sesame seeds (if using) into a heat proof dish or container.

Heat up oil with the star anise and cardamon over medium high heat. Watch it carefully and do not walk away! Once you see smoke start to rise up from the oil, remove from heat.

CAREFULLY pour the oil on the chilli. Do it in intervals and mix it up after each pour. This way you can control the heat and avoid scorching the chilli flakes. This will provide any over flow.

Let it cool down and store in an air tight container, it will keep for many weeks.

THE Classic Hot Chilli Oil 红油辣椒

Ingredients Directions