Spicy, fragrant and slightly numbing, this Sichuan chili oil is absolutely addictive! Spoon it over your favorite foods or use it as a dipping sauce with your dumplings, fried chicken and so much more!
It's one of the easiest, most versatile and kickass chili oils you'll ever make!
Being the spice lover that I am, I always look for ways to add that extra kick of heat and a bit more flavor to my everyday foods.
My kitchen and refrigerator is almost always stocked up with my garlic habanero hot sauce, hot pepper vinegar or my favorite habanero oil.
This time, I wanted to try something more versatile to pair with my favorite Asian recipes, and I thought, what could be better than a nice jar of some chili oil?
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
The kickass flavor of this chili oil has to be the best thing about this recipe, in my opinion. It's perfectly balance with the warm undertones of the whole spices, the umami and savory deliciousness of the garlic and the numbing heat from the Sichuan peppercorns and the red chilies.
It's also such a versatile condiment that you can put to use in so many different ways. You're not going to regret making it!
Recipe Ingredients
Red chilies: Use whole dried red chilies. Depending on the kind of chilies you're using, the spice levels will vary, so keep that in mind.
Whole spices: I used a mix of some cloves, a cinnamon stick, a couple of bay leaves and a star anise here. Feel free to use whatever you have at hand.
Aromatics: Fresh ginger and garlic are a must! They are what add that delicious savory depth of flavor and aroma to the chili oil.
Oil: Use vegetable oil, canola oil or any other cooking oil of your choice. Olive oil works well too- that's what I used.
Sichuan peppercorns: This one's the hero ingredient. You should be able to find these at any food specialty store or Asian grocery store near you.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- You can also add some sesame seeds along with the chili flakes before you pour the hot oil over them to bring a layer of nutty deliciousness to the Sichuan oil.
- To deepen the flavor, I also like to add a dash of dark soy sauce to the oil after it has cooled down a little bit.
- In addition to the ginger and garlic, you can also add shallots if you want to!
- If you can't find whole red chilies, feel free to use any good quality red chili flakes instead.
How to Make Sichuan Chili Oil
In a heavy bottomed pot over low heat, cook sliced garlic and ginger along with the whole spices.
Once the oil is sufficiently hot, strain it to remove the spices.
Process the chilies and the peppercorns in a food process until they're slightly coarse, like this.
Transfer them to a bowl along with a bit of salt.
Pour the hot oil over these crushed chilies and give it a quick mix.
Allow it to cool down a bit and store for later or use it whenever you want to!
💭Top Tip
Cooking low and slow is what will help all those flavors infuse beautifully into the oil, and will get the garlic to crisp up nicely, so remember to keep the heat down.
How to Store Sichuan Chili Oil
You can store your Sichuan oil for up to 2 months in a glass jar or an airtight container. While it should stay good for up to a month at room temperature too, I would recommend refrigerating it for maximum freshness.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Make sure you use a neutral flavored oil like canola oil for this recipe. You'll want the flavors of the spices and garlic to shine through. And of course, if you have sesame oil, feel free to use it to lend this chili oil that authentic Asian flavor.
- The key to getting the perfect balance of flavors and textures is to get the temperature of the oil hot enough that it lightly toasts the ground chili peppers, but not too hot that it causes them to burn.
- I removed the garlic, as adding raw garlic in oil has been found to increase the risk of food borne illnesses if stored for too long. If you're making this in a small batch that you are going to finish up within a few days, you can also add the caramelized garlic in- it lends a beautiful flavor!
- Remember not to use a glass bowl while making this seasoned oil. Pouring hot oil into a glass bowl is a big no-no as the glass can quickly explode and cause hot oil to splatter all over, risking burning you.
How to Use Spicy Sichuan Oil
You can use the Sichuan chili oil to jazz up practically any of your favorite foods. I love teaming it up with my homemade fried rice and Dan Dan noodles.
You can also drizzle it over your pizza to lend it that extra heat, or add it to your stir fried veggies to bring some more deliciousness to them.
Recipe FAQs
The flavor and deliciousness of fried raw garlic is unmatched. It's an absolute must for this recipe.
I wouldn't recommend it. Sichuan peppercorns are actually berries, and they have a different flavor profile. Using black peppercorns would give you a totally different flavor result.
Related Recipes
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If you tried this Sichuan chili oil or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Sichuan Chili Oil
Ingredients
- 4-6 dried red chilies
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- 3-4 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4-6 cloves garlic
- 1 inch ginger
- ½ cup oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- In a heavy bottomed pot over low heat, cook sliced garlic and ginger along with the whole spices.
- Once the oil is sufficiently hot, strain it to remove the spices.
- Process the chilies and the peppercorns in a food process until they're slightly coarse, like this.
- Transfer them to a bowl along with a bit of salt.
- Pour the hot oil over these crushed chilies and give it a quick mix.
- Allow it to cool down a bit and store for later or use it whenever you want to!
Notes
- Make sure you use a neutral flavored oil like canola oil for this recipe. You'll want the flavors of the spices and garlic to shine through. And of course, if you have sesame oil, feel free to use it to lend this chili oil that authentic Asian flavor.
- The key to getting the perfect balance of flavors and textures is to get the temperature of the oil hot enough that it lightly toasts the ground chili peppers, but not too hot that it causes them to burn.
- To deepen the flavor, I also like to add a dash of dark soy sauce to the oil after it has cooled down a little bit.
- You can also add some sesame seeds along with the chili flakes before you pour the hot oil over them to bring a layer of nutty deliciousness to the Sichuan oil.
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