https://thewoksoflife.com/how-to-make-chili-oil/#recipe
Ingredients
- 1½-3 cups neutral oil
- 6 star anise
- 1 large cinnamon stick (preferably cassia cinnamon)
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns
- 3 black cardamom pods
- 5 nuggets dried sand ginger
- 2 teaspoons cloves
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1-2 shallots
- 2 cup Sichuan chili flakes (I personally use Korean Chili Flakes)
- 1 – 2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
Instructions
- 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.
- 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. Also, when the garlic and shallot get brown all over, remove them from the oil so they don’t burn.
- While the oil is infusing, prepare your chili flakes by placing them in a heatproof bowl.
You can either heat your oil and pour it through a fine-meshed strainer OR remove the spices first with a fine-meshed strainer. If your spices are very dark by the time you get to this step, to avoid burning, it's safest to remove the spices entirely before pouring over the chili flakes. Heat the oil to 350F and pour over the chili flakes while stirring.
- 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.