This is The Pepper Quests take on chili oil. It that can be used in a variety of ways and will surely become one of your new best friends in the kitchen. The touch of XinJiang cumin and Yidu chili really adds a musky depth of flavor to the oil. This works beautiful with simple stir fries, green beans, sliced chicken, hot salads, tofu you name it. The most labour intense part of this is process is toasting and deseeding the chili. But in the end you have an oil you will use for months so well worth the effort!
After trying a bunch different recipes from books and the internet we landed on a wonderful YouTube Channel for the method of this oil. Big shout out to Chinese Cooking Demystified for all the inspiration and their great, step by step recipes, breaking down Chinese cooking for anyone interested. You guys have really elevated our cooking!
We have chosen to add several spices in this version, feel free to add/remove the flavors you like.
(Please note that temperature will be different if you use whole chili prepared yourself or if you use The Pepper Quest Chinese Chili Powder that is already slightly toasted.)
Go for it!
Ingredients:
- 6-8 dl High grade Canola, rapeseed or Peanut oil (depending on heat level)
- 75 -100g Chili
- Er Jing Tao Chili 65%
- Facing Heaven/Chao Tian 15%
- Yidu Chili 15%
- Xiao Mi La 5% - 1 tsp QingXi Tribute Sichuan pepper
- 4 Star anise
- 3 Bayleaf
- 1 piece Cinnamon stick
- 1 slightly crushed Black cardamom pod
- 1 tsp Coriander seeds
- 1 tsp Fennel seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Clove
- Slice of ginger or ginger powder
- Long chopped scallion
- Sesame seeds (optional)
How to:
- Toast chili carefully until aromatic. Take out and remove seeds. Turn into powder and put aside in a metal bowl. If you have our Chinese Chili Powder this step is already prepared for you (not deseeded).
- Toast spices at a high temperature for around 1-2 minutes. Put aside to cool off.
- Heat oil to around 110C-120C. Add all the spices, ginger and scallion for around 5 minutes and then remove.
- Heat up the oil until 180-190C. (If you are using Chinese Chili Powder be sure not to exceed 160C)
- Assemble 2/3 of chili powder in the metal bowl, like a small volcano. Add half of the hot oil and stir.
As the oil cools down to around 120C, add some chili powder and a second pour of oil. Stir.
As the oil cools down to 70-80C add the last bit of chili and the last oil oil. (This is to create layers to your chili oil. High temp gives that toasted flavor. Medium temp provides amazing taste. Low temp gives the beautiful color.) - Put in fridge overnight and it is ready to be used!
- Strain for clear oil or keep the chili for sediment. Both are wonderful!
Enjoy on literally everything! EVERYTHING! Even vanilla ice cream!
*If you don't have a thermometer the best way is to be on the safer side. Burnt chili is not a good taste. You can add your spices as you heat up the oil. When the spices start to sizzle the oil is around 100-120C. Lower the heat a bit and remove the spices after a couple of minutes. Once removed crank up the heat on the oil just a bit. Wait a 2-3 minutes and then add the oil your chili volcano.
