The BEST Chili Oil
This chili oil recipe is special to our family. It began as a quest to create something that doesn’t just add spice to a dish but is so flavorful and fragrant that it’s almost addicting. Get ready to make the best chili oil of your life!
Ingredients
3 cups neutral oil (700 ml)
5 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns
4 nuggets dried sand ginger
2 teaspoons cloves
5 cloves garlic
1 1/4 cup Sichuan chili flakes (110g)
2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
Instructions
Gather all the aromatics. Place oil and aromatics into a pot with at least two inches of clearance between the oil and the rim of the pot.
Heat the oil and aromatics on medium low heat. The oil should be at about 225-250° F / 110-120° C with small bubbles forming. If you notice the spices sizzling more vigorously than that or turning dark too quickly, reduce the heat to cool it down. If you don’t see small bubbles, slowly increase the heat. Infuse the aromatics in the oil for a minimum of 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour for best results.
While the oil is infusing, prepare your Sichuan chili flakes by placing them in a large, heatproof bowl. You can experiment within this range.
While the oil is still hot, pour it through a fine-meshed strainer to remove the aromatics. The oil should be between 225-250° F (110-120° C) when pouring over the chili flakes. Carefully pour the hot oil through a strainer onto the chili flakes. Stir to evenly distribute the heat of the oil until you smell the fragrance of the chili flakes.
Stir in the salt, and allow the chili oil to cool. Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
