Chilli Oil (Dầu ớt)

July 9, 2025

Chilli Oil (Dầu ớt) © kvalifood.com

A Vietnamese pantry staple that adds colour and gentle heat to dishes. The annatto seeds give the oil a deep orange-red tint, while the chilli flakes contribute a mild kick. You’ll see this drizzled over noodle soups, rice dishes, and stir-fries throughout Vietnam. It takes about two minutes to make and keeps for a month.

Ingredients

1 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp annatto seeds
1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)

Directions

Pour the vegetable oil into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until the oil is hot but not smoking.
Place the annatto seeds and chilli flakes in a metal sieve. Lower the sieve into the hot oil and hold it submerged for about 1 minute. The oil will turn a deep orange-red.
Lift out the sieve and discard the seeds and chilli flakes.
Let the oil cool, then transfer to a glass bottle or jar.

Notes

Keeps for 1 month at room temperature.
If you skip the chilli flakes, you get a pure annatto oil - still useful as a food colourant.
This oil is referenced in several other Vietnamese sauce recipes as a finishing ingredient.