Sichuan Chili Oil (红油, hóng yóu)

May 6, 2023

Sichuan chili oil © kvalifood.com

Hóng yóu - red oil - is the staple of Sichuan cooking. Hot oil poured over ground dried chillies, optionally with star anise, cassia cinnamon and Sichuan pepper infused in the oil first. Used on cold noodles, wontons, in mapo tofu, over rice, in soups, on everything. Every household in Sichuan has its own version. This recipe follows the aromatic variant, where the oil is first infused with spices and aromatics, and uses the three-pour technique: hot oil is poured over the chillies in three rounds at decreasing temperatures. High temperature gives aroma, medium gives colour, low gives heat.

Ingredients

Yields ca. 300 ml chili oil

Chillies

60 g dried Sichuan chillies (ideally a mix: èrjīngtiáo + zǐdàntóu/chao tian jiao, alternatively pre-bought Sichuan chilli flakes)

Oil and aromatics

300 g neutral oil (sunflower or peanut oil, alternatively caiziyou/roasted rapeseed oil)
2 star anise
1 piece cassia cinnamon (ca. 5 cm)
1 tsp whole Sichuan peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 piece fresh ginger (ca. 15 g), unpeeled, crushed
2 spring onions, white parts, lightly crushed

Optional

1 black cardamom (cao guo), lightly crushed
1 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
½ tsp salt

Equipment

Thermometer (important)
Heatproof bowl (glass, porcelain or stainless steel)
Sieve

Directions

Remove the stems from the dried chillies and shake out most of the seeds. Cut the chillies into rough pieces. Toast them in a dry pan over low heat for 4-5 minutes until fragrant and crisp, but not dark. Let them cool and grind coarsely in a food processor or mortar - coarse flakes, not fine powder.

Pour the oil into a pot with plenty of room (at least 5 cm from the rim). Add star anise, cassia cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, bay leaves and optionally black cardamom. Heat slowly to about 300°F (150°C). Add ginger and spring onions, lower the heat and let it infuse for 20-30 minutes until the onions and ginger are golden. Strain out all solids and discard them.

Heat the strained oil to 355°F (180°C). Use a thermometer.

First pour (aroma). Place one third of the ground chillies in the heatproof bowl. Pour one third of the hot oil over while stirring constantly. It should bubble vigorously.

Second pour (colour). Wait until the oil has cooled to about 300°F (150°C). Add another third of the chillies and pour another third of the oil over. Stir.

Third pour (heat). Wait until the oil has cooled to about 250°F (120°C). Add the last chillies and the last oil. Stir in the sesame seeds now, if using.

Let the chili oil cool completely. Cover and leave at room temperature for at least 24 hours before use. The flavour develops significantly during this period.

Store in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place. Keeps 1-2 months at room temperature, up to 6 months in the fridge. Always use clean utensils.

Uses

Cold noodles and wontons - pour generously over
Mapo tofu - add at the end
Noodle soup - a spoonful in the bowl
Dumpling dip - mix with soy sauce, black vinegar and a little sugar
Rice, eggs, vegetables, fried meat - everything

Notes

Oil:chilli ratio 5:1 (by weight) gives a strong chili oil. For a milder version, use 7:1.
A thermometer is necessary. Over 390°F (200°C) directly on the chillies burns them and creates bitterness. Below 250°F (120°C) gives no aroma.
Chillies with fewer seeds give a more aromatic, less hot oil. Keep more seeds for more heat.
Caiziyou (roasted rapeseed oil) gives the most authentic flavour. It must be heated to smoking (about 410°F/210°C) first to remove the raw taste, then cooled and used as described. Regular rapeseed oil from the supermarket is not the same.
The simple version without aromatics is preferred by many in Sichuan - leave out all spices and aromatics, use only oil and chillies. The result is cleaner in flavour and lets the caiziyou (or chillies) speak for themselves.
24-hour rest is not just a recommendation. The flavour changes significantly from day one to day two.