Homemade Chili Oil

Prepare Chili Mix

Notes: First, we'll create a flavorful chili mix as the seasoning base for the chili oil.

In a medium, heat-safe bowl, mix together chili flakes, salt, sugar, and white pepper.

To these dry ingredients, add 1 Tbsp of neutral oil and mix it in. This prevents the dry ingredients from burning.

Add paprika for a color boost. It won't drastically change the flavor but will help give the chili oil a nice, bright red color.

Cut the ginger and red onion into slices.

Smash the shallot with the side of your knife.

Smash, peel, and roughly mince the garlic.

Smash the star anise into smaller pieces, then rinse and wet the pieces in a bit of cold water to keep them from burning.

Using a mesh strainer or sieve, scoop out all the solid pieces from the oil.

You can push on the solids in the strainer a little to squeeze out the oil back into the wok.

Once you have removed all the solids, heat the oil back up to 300°F (150°C).

Notes: Don't pour it all at once! Dumping a huge volume of hot oil at once will scorch and burn the chili mix.

When the aromatic oil has come back up to 300°F (149°C), turn off the heat.

Bring the chili mix close to the oil.

Pour just one ladle of hot oil slowly over the chili mix. It should sizzle gently. Stir it in.

Add a second ladle of hot oil, again pouring slowly, and stir it in.

Repeat with a third ladle of hot oil and stir.

1 dash sesame seeds

1 tsp sesame oil

Add sesame seeds to the chili oil and stir them in.

Heat up the rest of the oil in the wok a little more.

Add the final ladle of the hot oil and stir it in.

Add a quick drizzle of sesame oil to intensify the aromas.

Store this amazing chili oil in a jar in the fridge, and enjoy for several months.