Recipe Git v1
Chili Oil
Cookbook | Recipes | Ingredients | Equipment | Techniques | Cookbook Disambiguation Pages | Recipes | China
Source: Wikibooks contributors (https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook%3AChili_Oil)
Adapted: Imported and reformatted by HowManyCookies from the cited Wikibooks revision.
Source revision: https://en.wikibooks.org/w/index.php?title=Cookbook%3AChili%20Oil&oldid=4523943
License: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) · Wikibooks contributors
Ingredients
- 2 cups neutral oil (i.e. vegetable oil)
- ½ cup chile flakes
- 2–3 whole dried chiles (ancho, guajillo, or thai all work beautifully, though the latter creates a very spicy oil)
- 1 teaspoon of Szechuan peppercorn (optional)
- 1–2 teaspoons finely-ground hot paprika
Directions
- If a smokey flavour is desired, toast the whole peppers and Szechuan peppercorn separately in a dry frying pan over medium-heat until you can smell them in the kitchen, stirring constantly (this takes only a few minutes). Chop the peppers if used (or cut them with scissors, or crush them in a mortar and pestle). Set aside.
- Add your oil to a pot or saucepan over medium high-heat, and allow it to heat until the viscosity of the oil is reduced and the surface shimmers.
- To the hot oil, carefully add all remaining ingredients. Stir gently, lowering the heat if required to keep the oil below a simmer.
- Remove from heat once the chilis have blackened, and allow the oil to cool (the chilis will sink to the bottom).
- In higher-class restaurants in China and abroad, the oil is frequently strained or "poured off" of the layer of solids, which clarifies it somewhat; this step is optional. Many prefer the more rustic look (and texture!) of home-made oil, which will develop a darker colour over time from the solids below.
Notes
It is important to note that, contrary to popular belief, oil is not a preservative. The seasoned oils commonly available at markets have been treated with preservatives to allow them to remain stable for a prolonged period of time. The product should be kept in the fridge (where it will keep for months) or else used within a few days and kept covered. This is particularly important if one has used fresh garlic in the oil, as harmful pathogens found in the soil garlic grows in may grow and produce toxins in the oxygen-free environment created by the oil. Leaving the oil out at room temperature also increases the likelihood that the oil itself will go rancid, though this generally takes weeks.
Open a window or turn on a fan; if you burn the chili peppers the smoke will trigger a rather unpleasant coughing fit.