Chili Oil

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Vegan/Gluten-Free/Nut-Free

Skill Level: Beginner

Yield: 1/2 cup oil

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 3-4 minutes

Equipment Needed:

• Small saucepan

• Heat-proof mixing bowl

• Instant-read thermometer

The Recipe:

This recipe was adapted from a recipe by the Unpeeled Journal website

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons red chili flakes

• 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 star anise

• 1 small cinnamon stick (or 1/2 of a large one)

Procedure:

1. Combine chili flakes and kosher salt in a heat-proof bowl.

2. Add oil, bay leaf, start anise, and cinnamon stick to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. You are looking for the temperature of the oil to reach 250 degrees Fahrenheit, so depending on how your stovetop heats, this will likely take between 2 and 5 minutes. The easiest and most accurate way to gauge your temperature will be with an instant-read thermometer. I started checking my oil at about 2 minutes, and it was done at 3 minutes.

3. Carefully pour the hot oil mixture over the chili flakes and salt.

4. Gently stir, and allow your chili oil to cool to room temperature before transferring to a covered container for storage.

5. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

To Serve: Serve chili oil drizzled over any dish that you want to spice up! My personal favorite places to use it are on soups such as butternut squash, over pasta dishes, on steamed or sauteed vegetables, over fried rice, and on cream cheese wontons. Less is more-start with a little bit and add from there to avoid adding too much spice and burning your palate.

Adjusting for your diet: This one is SPICY! If you want to back off on the spice, you could cut down on the amount of red chili flakes.

Tips:

• If you do not have an instant-read thermometer, use visual cues to tell when your oil is sufficiently heated. The oil should look shiny and like it has thinned out, but try to catch it before it starts to bubble.

• PLEASE use care when you are pouring your hot oil. As soon as you start to tip the pan, the oil will start to sputter. It will really start speaking to you once it hits the chili flakes; don't be alarmed, just use caution and make sure that if you have children in the house, they are no where near you when you are ready to move and pour your oil.

• I actually used crushed red pepper vs. red chili flakes the first time I made this recipe. The difference between the two, I learned, is that red chili flakes are made from a single type of pepper and are used to really express that pepper's flavor. Different types of red chili flakes will taste different since they are from different peppers. Crushed red pepper's main objective is to provide heat, and the flavor might not be quite as nuanced (plus they are generally cheaper). So, if you are looking to achieve a more complex flavored chili oil, I would lean into using red chili flakes such as Sichuan variety. If you are mostly looking to add spice/heat, crushed red pepper should do just fine.

• Any neutral oil will work in this recipe; other options could include canola oil, grapeseed oil, or peanut oil. Steer clear of substituting olive oil.

• I always use Diamond Kosher Salt, so that is the salt I used for this recipe. If you are opting to use table salt, you should cut down on your salt by about 1/3 (so, use about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and go from there).

• The original author of this recipe used a couple of additional ingredients that I left out simply because I didn't have them on hand; lightly crushed Sichuan peppercorns and finely chopped fresh ginger. If you have these ingredients on hand or wish to add them, I'm certain they would make great additions!

• You may have also come across or heard of an Italian version of chili oil. The version I've posted here would be considered an Asian/Chinese style oil based on the ingredients and flavor profile. The Italian chili oils I've encountered seem to be composed simply of red pepper flakes and oil, and often omit the step of heating up the oil.

• If you find yourself using chili oil often, this recipe could easily be doubled.

Happy tasting!