Learn how to make authentic Chinese chili oil from whole dried red pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. This method produces a dark right color but the strongest aroma so it is extremely popular in Szechuan restaurants.
In different Chinese cuisine especially Sichuan cuisine, condiments and seasonings are quite important. Since chili pepper and Sichuan peppercorn are the most two important condiments in Sichuan cuisine. Besides, combined Szechuan style chili oil is also an important seasoning, not shining but indispensable to your kitchen.
I have made a similar version long time ago, using pepper flakes directly. Then when I was browsing a picture introducing Sichuan style fried dried pepper, suddenly I realized the types of pepper flakes might influence the taste a lot. The Sichuan style pepper flakes we bought here in China are all fried before ground. By following this recipe, you can approach the real Sichuan Restaurant flavor maximumly. But the oil is actually "dark red" instead of "bright red".
We usually use at least two types of dried whole peppers for red oil because some of them have strong aroma, some with great red color while others are spicy enough. For me, I love to mix Er Jing Tiao (aroma and color), Bullet Head (aroma) and Facing heaven(hotness). If you are in US, you can go this shop and find those ingredients. Or use dried whole peppers from amazon.
You can use this chili oil in following Sichuan style hot dishes.
- Dan dan noodles
- Chongqing noodles
- Mouthwatering chicken
- Red oil wonton
- Cold sesame wonton
- Smashed cucumber salad
Ingredients
- 100g dried chili peppers (cut into small pieces)
- 1 tbsp. Sichuan peppercorn
- 1 tbsp. white sesame seeds
- 2 cups oil (recommend colleseed oil)
- 2 green onion, white parts only
- 1 thumb ginger, sliced
- 2 star anises
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 small piece of Chinese cinnamon
- 1 tsaoko (optional)
- 1 fructus amomi, 砂仁 (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the dried whole chili peppers. If you want to reduce the hotness, discard part of the seeds to reduce the hotness.
- Fry the pepper sections over slow fire until they turn dark red (the purpose of this step is to stimulate the aroma).
- Transfer the dried chili peppers into a stone mortar and then crush roughly. Be carefully and protect yourself.
- Transfer the crushed chili flakes to a bowl, add Sichuan peppercorn and toasted sesame seeds.
- Add oil in wok and cut the spring onion into one inch sections and slice ginger. Fry over slow fire until they becomes brown.
- Transfer them out and then add dried spices. Continue fry over slow fire until aromatic. Move the spices out.
- Pour around ½ cup of hot oil into the chili fakes. Mix well. At this time, the oil should be quite hot.
- Wait for around half minutes until the oil is slightly cooled. Pour the remaining hot oil into the chili flakes.
- Pour to a air-tight container, wait for 1-2 days until the red color is formed.
🧾Recipe
How to Make Chinese Red Oil (Difficult Version)
Ingredients
- 100 g dried chili peppers ,cut into small pieces
- 1 tbsp. Sichuan peppercorn
- 1 tbsp. white sesame seeds
- 2 cups oil ,recommend colleseed oil
- 2 green onion ,white parts only
- 1 thumb ginger ,sliced
Spices
- 2 star anises
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 small piece of Chinese cinnamon
- 1 tsaoko ,optional
- 1 small fructus amomi ,砂仁 (optional)
Instructions
Make the pepper flakes
- Cut the dried whole chili peppers. If you want to reduce the hotness, discard part of the seeds.
- Fry the pepper sections over slow fire until they turn dark red (the purpose of this step is to stimulate the aroma).
- Transfer the dried chili peppers into a stone mortar and then crush roughly.
Prepare the oil
- Transfer the crushed chili flakes to a bowl, add Sichuan peppercorn and toasted sesame seeds.
- Add oil in wok and cut the spring onion into one inch sections and slice ginger. Fry over slow fire until they becomes brown.
- Transfer them out and then add dried spices. Continue fry over slow fire until aromatic. Move the spices out.
Mix oil with pepper
- Pour around ½ cup of hot oil into the chili fakes. Mix well.
- Turn up the fire and heat the oil until almost smoky. Pour the remaining hot oil into the chili flakes.
- Pour to a air-tight container, wait for 1-2 days until the red color is formed.
Notes
Nutrition
Candace
I want to to try this recipe, and I'm wondering how long will this keep in the refrigerator?
Elaine
For one year.
Yohanes
Hi is this chiu chow chili oil?
Elaine
No. This is a szechuan style sauce.
Jen
when you say wait for 1-2 days until the red color is formed, do you mean outside of the fridge? Thanks
Elaine
Chili oil can be stored in shadow places. But you can place them in fridge too.
Divina
Can I grind thie chilies in the blender?
Elaine
Sure, yes!
Divina
What is colleseed oil? Any substitutions?
Elaine
You can use other vegetable oil like sunflower oil, corn oil and peanut oil.
Michael Kelly
I believe Colleseed oil is also known as Canola Oil or Rapeseed Oil in many countries.
Jenny
Hello Elaine, you are a great teacher for Chinese cuisine!!!
I have a question about Chinese chilis for this oil. In google search I see 5 type of Chinese chilis:
1) Er Jing Tiao
2) Zi Dan Tou
3) Xiao Mi La
4) Qi Xing Jiao
5) Deng Long Jiao (Lantern Chili)
Which of these should I buy and mix together to make my chili oil authentic?
Elaine
Er Jing Tiao, Deng Long Jiao and Qi Xing Jiao are my favorite types. You can try them firstly.
jk
Hi,
is fructus amomi the same as Indian black cardamon?
jk
Elaine
Hi Jk,
They are similar in shapes and flavors, but different things.
Divina
I have the Chinese Sky-in-the-sky pepper (Man Tian Xing). Can I use that for this. But I’m not aware of the hotness level of it.
Elaine
Wow, facing heaven is really hot. I recommend you mixing it with other types with lower hotness.
Jane
Hi! I want to make my own chili oil and I have some dried peppers so I figured making my own flakes would be great. I don't normally have a lot of access to all these ingredients, so right now I only have one kind of dried chili pepper. I don't remember which one it is at the moment, (though don't worry it is a Sichuan pepper!) but could I still make this using just one kind of pepper?
Elaine
Yes, Jane. If there is impossible to get so many types, one type can work too.
Jane
Oh that's great, thank you so much! I can't wait to try it!!
Elaine
Thanks Jane. It is just the right time of making a bottom of Chinese chili oil at home since it is much a great seasoning for coming summer holidays. Enjoy. I hope it turns out to be a good add on!
Daniel
I made your Chili oil a couple of times, and I am always stunned how good it tastes! But unfortunately I am from Germany, and it is really hard to get here good Sichuan Chilis. So I spoiled the last three badges of Chili oil because of mediocre (or MUCH too spicy) Chilis. (Sometimes I was lucky and got "good" Chili flakes)
Hence I will plant in the next summer my own Sichuan Chilis, but I don’t want to wait till then with the next badge of DanDan Noodles. Hence I wanted to ask you, if there is any Chili variety, which could be used as a good substitute? How different will Gochugaru taste? Are there some mexican Chilis (e.g. Guajillo Chilis), which could work as a substitute? Thank you very much!
Elaine
Daniel,
Gochugaru is very mild so I believe the quick way to balance the flavor might be mixing Gochugaru with that luck super hot chili peppers. With a large amount of Gochugaru, the chili oil can have a very lovely idea of red color and an acceptable spiciness. I use this method to make chili oil for my child and mother. Hope you can give it a try!
Elaine