Szechuan Chili Oil Recipes

HOW TO MAKE CHILI OIL

Steps:

• Grind red and green sichuan peppercorns in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle until a fine powder forms, then set aside.
• Heat oil, red pepper flakes, star anise, ginger, scallion, cinnamon, bay leaf, cumin and coriander in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes, or until spices have darkened and are fragrant and oil is gently bubbling.
• Stir in garlic and cook about 15 seconds, or until garlic just begins to turn golden.
• Remove pot from heat, stir in ground peppercorns and continue to stir until oil stops sizzling. Stir in sesame seeds and soy sauce and let oil sit for at least 2 hours.
• Fish out ginger slices and scallions. Transfer chili oil to a glass jar (strain the spices if desired) and refrigerate.

HOW TO MAKE CHILI OIL

Steps:

• Gather all the aromatics you plan to use. Place oil and selected aromatics into a pot with at least two inches of clearance between the oil and the rim of the pot. If using minimum aromatics, 1 ½ cups of oil should do it. If using all the aromatics, you can add up to 3 cups of oil.
• Set it over medium heat to start, then progressively lower it to medium low or low heat as the oil comes to temperature. The oil should be at about 225-250° F / 110-120° C and causing small bubbles to slowly rise from the aromatics. If you notice the spices sizzling more vigorously than that or turning dark too quickly, reduce the heat to cool it down. If you are not achieving small bubbles, slowly increase the heat. Hovering around 200-225° F is the safest way to prevent burning. Infuse the aromatics this way for a minimum of 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour for best results.
• While the oil is infusing, prepare your Sichuan chili flakes by placing them in a heatproof bowl. If you used 1½ cups of oil, ¾ cup of chili flakes is best. For 3 cups of oil, use 1¼ cups of chili flakes. You can experiment within this range (if you like more oil and fewer flakes, for instance).
• Generally, the oil should be between 225-250° F (110-120° C) when pouring over the chili flakes. If you like a darker color, opt for 250-275° F/135° C. If your chili flakes are already super roasted, you may want to be closer to 225° F/110° C. When in doubt, test the oil on a small bowl of chili flakes before you do the rest. Carefully pour the hot oil through a strainer onto the chili flakes. Stir to evenly distribute the heat of the oil. You'll know you've gotten it right when you smell a "popcorn"-like smell that is not at all burnt-smelling.
• Stir in the salt, and allow the chili oil to cool. Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Always use a clean utensil when handling to prevent spoilage. It can last for up to 6 months if handled in this way.

SICHUAN CHILE OIL

Steps:

• Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut all of the chiles into 1/2-inch pieces. Toast chiles in a dry wok or saucepan over medium heat, stirring and shaking constantly, until fragrant and lightly darkened in color, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer toasted chiles to the bowl of a food processor or mortar and pestle, and pulse or pound until the chiles break into 1/8- to 1/4-inch pieces that resemble store-bought red-pepper flakes or flaky sea salt. (Be careful not to overprocess.) Transfer the chile flakes to a heat-proof mixing bowl.
• Combine oil, garlic, ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cumin and fennel seeds in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until gently bubbling, then cook for 10 minutes, adjusting heat to maintain the barest of bubbling.
• Set a fine-mesh strainer over the bowl with the chiles. Pour the hot oil through strainer over the chiles. Discard solids. Stir sugar, sesame seeds, salt and MSG, if using, into oil mixture until combined. Allow to cool, transfer to a sealed container, and let rest at room temperature overnight before using. You can store chile oil in a cool, dark pantry for a few weeks, or indefinitely in the refrigerator.

HOT SICHUAN CHILI OIL

Steps:

• Put the oil, star anise, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, teaspoon cloves, garlic clove, shallot, and Szechuan peppercorns in a small pot, and turn the heat to medium high.
• When the oil temperature reaches 200ºF - there should tiny bubbles coming to the surface - let the ingredients infuse the oil for the 30-40 minutes. Keep an eye on the temperature (it's okay if it goes up to 220-230) and ingredients to make sure they are burning too quickly (getting dark in color).
• Set a glass or ceramic bowl down and place a strainer on top of it. Turn the heat off and carefully strain the oil through a sieve, into the bowl. Discard the ingredients that are left in the strainer.
• Add the Chinese chili flakes and salt and gently stir to mix. Let the chili oil cool down to room temperature and transfer it to an airtight storage container.

SICHUAN GARLIC CHILI OIL

Steps:

• Mix up the chili flakes, chili powder, chopped garlic and salt in a heatproof bowl. You will be pouring hot oil into it, so it MUST be able to withstand the heat without breaking.
• Pour the cold oil into a small pot, then add the Sichuan peppercorns in and bring it to smoking point. Note: The time required will depend on your oil and your stove, but a general rule of thumb is when you can see it just start to show smoke or if it bubbles when a wooden chopstick is placed in the oil, it's ready.
• Pour the hot oil into the mixture of spices. Be careful because it will bubble and spit!
• Stir gently and let it cool before enjoying immediately as is!

SPICY SZECHUAN NOODLES WITH GARLIC CHILI OIL

Steps:

• Garlic Chili Oil: Saute garlic with vegetable oil in a small pot until it becomes fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and add the rest of the sauce ingredients into the pot.
• Boil noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook your noodles according to the directions. Rinse under cold water and drain very well.
• Add sauce: Add as much of the Szechuan chili oil sauce according to your liking and spice level.
• Serve: Top with fresh cilantro, scallions, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

SZECHUAN CHILI OIL

Steps:

• Place red-pepper flakes in a small heat-resistant bowl or pint-size jar. In a small saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, combine peppercorns, cinnamon, star anise, and oil over medium-low heat. Heat mixture until it registers 325 degrees on the thermometer, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn off heat and let steep 8 to 10 minutes until temperature reaches about 240 degrees. Pour through a strainer into bowl or jar with pepper flakes and let cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container or seal lid if using a jar. The chili oil can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.