How To Make Chili Oil
I've always felt that store-bought chili oil just doesn't taste as good as homemade. I’ve previously shared a recipe for making your own chili oil, but today’s version is an upgraded recipe that can be used to cook a variety of dishes.
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Chili oil is a popular condiment in China, Korea, Japan, and many other parts of Asia. Surprisingly, making chili oil at home isn’t as complicated as you might think. In the following section, we’ll provide you with detailed instructions and practical tips to help you easily master the art of making this flavorful condiment.
1. About Chili Oil
Chili oil is a condiment made from chili peppers and cooking oil. The process typically involves chopping or grinding the chili peppers into powder and then mixing them with hot oil. By frying or steeping the peppers, their heat and aroma are fully infused into the oil.
Chili oil is known for its intense heat and fragrant aroma, adding a unique flavor and depth to various dishes. It’s commonly used to season noodles, salads, and hot pots, and can also be used for stir-frying or as a dipping sauce.
You can adjust the spiciness of chili oil to suit your taste by choosing different types and amounts of chili peppers. Additionally, chili oil has a natural preservative effect, which can help extend the shelf life of foods.
2. The Benefits of Homemade Chili Oil
Today, you can find many high-quality chili oil brands on the market, but they often come with a high price tag, limited quantity, and may not perfectly match your taste preferences.
In contrast, making your own chili oil is not only simple but also allows you to customize the flavor to your liking by adjusting the ingredients. The best part? You can create a unique chili oil that you won't find anywhere else, making it a great gift for friends and family.
3. Ingredients for Homemade Chili Oil
To make homemade chili oil, you'll need the following ingredients:
Main Ingredients: Chili seeds and chili powder—these are essential for making chili oil.
Additional Ingredients: Peanuts and walnuts, added for extra aroma.
Seasonings: Canola oil, bay leaves, sesame seeds, Sichuan peppercorns, chicken bouillon, sugar, cinnamon sticks, star anise, black cardamom, five-spice powder, and salt.
Important Tip:
It’s best to purchase these ingredients from your local Asian supermarket or Chinese grocery store, where you’ll find a wide variety of seasonings conveniently available.
4. What Type of Oil to Use
When making chili oil, I recommend using a neutral oil because it resists rancidity in both hot and cold conditions and won't overpower the flavors of the spices and seasonings. For this recipe, I used canola oil, which is a type of neutral oil. Other neutral oils you can use include soybean oil, peanut oil, corn oil, and olive oil. Feel free to choose any of these based on your preference.
5. What to Pair with Homemade Chili Oil
Homemade chili oil pairs wonderfully with the following dishes:
These dishes complement the rich, spicy flavor of chili oil, enhancing your overall meal experience.
6. How Long Can Homemade Chili Oil Be Stored?
The shelf life of homemade chili oil depends largely on storage conditions and the hygiene practices during its preparation. When stored in a sealed glass jar and kept in a cool, well-ventilated place, it typically lasts 2-3 months.
To extend the shelf life, use an airtight container to minimize exposure to air, which slows down oxidation and helps preserve the oil longer. Additionally, the storage environment's temperature and humidity can affect its longevity. Lower temperatures and moderate humidity help maintain the freshness of the chili oil and extend its shelf life.
If you enjoyed our recipe, please follow us for more great recipes. Below is the detailed tutorial for making chili oil. Let’s get started!
INGREDIENTS
MAIN INGREDIENTS
- 250g Chili Seeds
- 250g Chili Powder
ACCESSORIES
- 10g Peanuts
- 3 Walnuts
SEASONINGS
- 500g Canola Oil
- 3-4 Bay Leaves
- 8g Sesame Seeds
- 7g Sichuan Peppercorns
- 6g Chicken Bouillon Powder
- 4g Sugar
- 2 Cinnamon Sticks
- 5g Star Anise (Mixed Spice)
- 2 Cardamom Pods
- 4g Five-Spice Powder
- 6g Salt
DIRECTIONS
STEP 1
Prepare all ingredients:
500g canola oil, 250g chili seeds, 250g chili flakes, 3 walnuts, 10g peanuts, 3 cinnamon sticks, 3-4 bay leaves, 5g Chinese five-spice powder, 8g sesame seeds, 2 cardamom pods, 4g five-spice powder, 6g chicken powder, 6g salt, 4g sugar.
STEP 2
Peel and crush the walnuts, crush the peanuts, and lightly smash the cardamom pods.
STEP 3
Heat the canola oil in a pan. Add the cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, Sichuan peppercorns, and star anise to the oil. Simmer over low heat for 5-8 minutes.
Tip:
Canola oil adds more flavor to the chili oil, and the oil should be about twice the amount of the chili flakes.
STEP 4
Once the spices have turned color, use a slotted spoon to remove the solids, leaving behind the infused oil. Let the oil cool slightly for about 2 minutes.
Tip:
Don’t pour the freshly cooked oil over the chili flakes immediately. If the oil is too hot, it can burn the chili flakes.
STEP 5
Mix the chili seeds, chili flakes, crushed walnuts, crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, five-spice powder, chicken powder, salt, and sugar together until well combined.
STEP 6
Slowly pour the oil into the chili mixture, stirring constantly (adding the oil in small batches), until everything is thoroughly mixed.
STEP 7
Finally, sprinkle some fresh sesame seeds on top, and your perfect chili oil is ready to enjoy.
Recipe analyzer
- Recipes: How To Make Chili Oil
- Main Ingredients:4
- Servings per recipe:1
- Servings size:516 g
-
Energy (calories)：1462 kcal
-
Protein：69.89 g
-
Fat：74.8 g
Why gray?
-
Carbohydrates：252.07 g
-
Protein: 15%226 kcal
-
Fat: 43%626 kcal
-
Carbohydrates: 42%608 kcal
The ratio shows whether the proportion of both fatty acids in your diet is optimal. Red color means too much of Omega 6 or too little of Omega 3. The data are rounded off and approximate.
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