Spice up your life (and your food!) with this simple recipe for chili garlic oil. This pantry staple is the secret weapon you need to add depth and fiery flavor to any Asian-inspired meal.
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Chili garlic oil has roots in many Asian cuisines, with each region having its unique twist. It's a condiment that elevates any dish with heat, crunch, and fragrance.
In my kitchen, this chili garlic oil is the go-to condiment when a meal needs some extra flavor and texture. It's especially great for spicing up leftovers, turning an ordinary meal into something exciting!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Crunchy Texture: Adds a crispy, delightful crunch to every bite.
- Customizable Heat: Control the spice level based on the type and amount of chili used.
- Versatile: Works with noodles, rice, dumplings, veggies, or even pizza!
- Long Shelf Life: Thanks to the vinegar and oil, it can last for months without losing flavor.
- Easy to Make: Requires simple ingredients and minimal prep time, but the payoff is huge.
Why Make Your Own?
We've all been there. You're whipping up a delicious stir-fry or a bowl of steaming ramen, and something feels...missing. That's where a good quality chili oil comes in. It adds a complex layer of savory and spicy notes, taking your dish from ordinary to extraordinary.
However, store-bought options can be inconsistent. Sometimes they're not spicy enough, and other times, they might be swimming in an excessive amount of oil with barely a speck of chili or garlic. The beauty of making your own garlic chili oil is that you're in complete control. You can adjust the spice level to your preference, use fresh ingredients for a bolder flavor, and even personalize it with additional aromatics.
Ingredients
The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. Here's what you'll need:
- Neutral Oil: Canola, grapeseed, avocado, or vegetable oil are all excellent choices. These oils have a high smoke point, making them perfect for withstanding the heat without burning.
- Garlic: Minced for a strong garlic flavor.
- Chilis: Here's where you control the heat! Korean gochugaru add a smoky touch, while Szechuan peppercorns offer a numbing sensation along with the heat.
- Aromatics and Spices: Want to take your chili oil to the next level? Add star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, salt, sugar
- White vinegar: For long shelf life, even without refrigeration
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitution and Addition
- Coconut Oil: Use instead of neutral oils for a slightly sweeter, tropical flavor.
- Shallots: Add thinly sliced shallots along with the garlic for extra crunch and sweetness.
- Lime Juice: Swap vinegar for lime juice to give it a fresh, citrusy kick.
- Sesame Oil: Stir in a little sesame oil at the end for a rich, nutty flavor.
How to Make Chili Garlic Oil
- Sterilize the Jar: Wash a glass jar with a lid in hot, soapy water. Rinse it well and dry it completely. You can also sterilize the jar by boiling it in water for 10 minutes. This step is important to prevent bacterial growth in your chili oil.
- Prepare the Chilis: In the clean, dry jar, combine the red pepper chili flakes and gochugaru.
- Infuse the Oil: Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Once hot (around 300°F/150°C), carefully add the star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and cardamom pods. Let them sizzle and infuse the oil for about 2-3 minutes, but don't let them burn.
Safety Tip: Hot oil can splatter and cause burns. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan and avoid leaning your face over it while adding ingredients.
- Strain the Spices: Using a slotted spoon, remove the spices from the oil and set them aside. Discard or use them for another recipe.
- Brown the Garlic: Reduce the heat to low and add the sliced garlic to the oil. Gently cook the garlic for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it becomes lightly golden brown. Be careful not to burn the garlic as it will turn bitter.
- Season and Combine: Turn off the heat and stir in the salt and sugar.
- Pour and Infuse: Carefully pour the hot oil with garlic over the chili flakes in the jar. The hot oil will activate the chilies and infuse them with flavor.
- Add Vinegar (Optional): Once the oil has cooled slightly (but is still warm), stir in the white vinegar, if using. Vinegar can add a touch of tanginess and help preserve the oil.
Safety Tip: Never add vinegar to hot oil directly. The vinegar can cause the oil to splatter violently.
- Cool and Store: Let the chili oil cool completely at room temperature before sealing the jar tightly. Store the chili oil in a cool, dark place like a pantry. It should keep for up to several months.
Variation
- Sichuan-Style Chili Oil: Add Szechuan peppercorns for that signature numbing heat and tingling sensation.
- Sweet and Spicy: Stir in a tablespoon of honey or brown sugar for a sweet contrast to the spicy oil.
- Thai-Inspired: Add lemongrass and lime leaves to the oil for a citrusy, fragrant Thai twist.
- Smoky Chili Oil: Use chipotle or smoked paprika in place of the usual chilis for a deep, smoky flavor profile.
- Fermented Chili Oil: Incorporate fermented black beans or gochujang for a punch of umami and tanginess.
Ways to Use Chili Garlic Oil
- Dipping Sauce: Drizzle it on dumplings, potstickers, or steamed vegetables for a flavorful dip.
- Noodles & Rice: Toss it with cooked noodles like garlic noodles or rice (shanghai fried rice or kimchi fried rice) andfor a quick and easy flavor boost or drizzle it over ramen or pho for an extra layer of heat and complexity.
- Soups & Stews: Add a spoonful to your favorite soups like pumpkin soup, kabocha soup or stews for a spicy kick. It goes particularly well with Asian-inspired broths and noodle soups.
- Stir-fries & Vegetables: Swirl some chili garlic oil into your stir-fry pan right before adding vegetables for a quick flavor infusion. It should work for green bean stir fry, laing, or cabbage stir-fries.
- Egg Recipes: Drizzle it over scrambled eggs, eggplant omelets, fried eggs, jammy egg or mayak eggs for a spicy wake-up call in the morning.
- Pizza: Drizzle chili garlic oil over your pizza after it comes out of the oven for a spicy twist. It pairs well with various toppings, especially meats and vegetables.
- Marinades: Add a spoonful of chili garlic oil to your marinades for chicken, fish, or tofu to infuse them with a spicy flavor like chicken inasal, crying tiger steak, tocino, and huli-huli chicken.
- Salads: Drizzle a small amount of chili garlic oil over your salad dressing for a spicy kick. It goes well with Asian-inspired salads or vinaigrettes.
- Sandwiches & Wraps: Add a teaspoon of chili garlic oil to mayonnaise or spread it directly on your bread for a spicy twist on your sandwich or wrap.
- Snacks: Drizzle chili garlic oil over popcorn, edamame, or fried rice crackers for a spicy and addictive snack.
Storage
Once your chili oil cools completely at room temperature, seal the sterilized jar tightly. Store it in a cool, dark place like a pantry, where it can last for several months and add its fiery flair to your dishes whenever you need it.
Rose's Top Tip
- Control the Heat: Choose your chili wisely—go for mild chilis like gochugaru if you want less heat or dried Thai chilis for something spicier.
- Watch the Garlic Closely: Garlic can go from golden brown to burnt very quickly, so keep an eye on it as it fries.
- Use Clean Utensils: Always use clean, dry utensils when handling the chili oil to avoid contamination.
- Let it Infuse: For even better flavor, let the oil sit for a day or two before using it.
- Don’t Overheat: Keep the heat moderate so that you infuse the oil with flavors without burning the garlic and spices.
Recipe FAQs
Refrigerating homemade chili oil is recommended for longer storage (several months) and to maintain the best quality, but it's not strictly necessary if you plan to use it up quickly (weeks).
Neutral oils like canola, vegetable, or grapeseed work best because they won’t overpower the garlic and chilis.
Homemade chili garlic oil can last for up to 2-3 months when stored properly in an airtight container.
Chili oil can be made from a variety of peppers, such as gochugaru, dried Thai chilis, or Szechuan peppercorns.
Chili garlic sauce has a thicker, paste-like consistency, while chili garlic oil is infused with oil and has a more liquid texture.
Other Asian Recipes
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Crunchy Chili Garlic Oil
Equipment
- 1 sauce pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup oil
- 1 garlic head
- 3 star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 8 cardamom pods
- ¼ cup gochugaru
- ¼ red pepper chili flakes
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Sterilize the Jar: Wash a glass jar with a lid in hot, soapy water. Rinse it well and dry it completely. You can also sterilize the jar by boiling it in water for 10 minutes. This step is important to prevent bacterial growth in your chili oil.
- Prepare the Chilis: In the clean, dry jar, combine the red pepper chili flakes and gochugaru.
- Infuse the Oil: Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Once hot (around 300°F/150°C), carefully add the star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and cardamom pods. Let them sizzle and infuse the oil for about 2-3 minutes, but don't let them burn.
- Strain the Spices: Using a slotted spoon, remove the spices from the oil and set them aside. Discard or use them for another recipe.
- Brown the Garlic: Reduce the heat to low and add the sliced garlic to the oil. Gently cook the garlic for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it becomes lightly golden brown. Be careful not to burn the garlic as it will turn bitter.
- Season and Combine: Turn off the heat and stir in the salt and sugar.
- Pour and Infuse: Carefully pour the hot oil with garlic over the chili flakes in the jar. The hot oil will activate the chilies and infuse them with flavor.
- Add Vinegar (Optional): Once the oil has cooled slightly (but is still warm), stir in the white vinegar, if using. Vinegar can add a touch of tanginess and help preserve the oil.
- Cool and Store: Let the chili oil cool completely at room temperature before sealing the jar tightly. Store the chili oil in a cool, dark place like a pantry. It should keep for up to several months.
Save This Recipe 💌
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Notes
- Hot oil can splatter and cause burns. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan and avoid leaning your face over it while adding ingredients.
- Never add vinegar to hot oil directly. The vinegar can cause the oil to splatter violently
