Asian Chili Crisp Oil

This chili crisp oil adds a punch of flavor to udon, ramen, scrambled eggs, and just about anything you want to eat. The recipe brings warm and hot spices together to create a beautiful red mixture with amazing aroma. It is the most flavorful and delicious chili oil I’ve come across, and I have tried a lot. Make a batch today and you will be surprised at how fast you use it up.

You can find all the ingredients in a local Asian grocery store or you can order them online.

This recipe came to me from my friend Kirsten Cohen, who got it from her husband’s cousin’s son, Billy Kapelus, who found it on Joshua Weissman’s youtube site. I have an obsession with this chili crisp oil and love it as a condiment for lots of dishes. It was passed on to me and I am passing it on to you so you can develop that obsession too. So get to work by gathering the ingredients below and getting started.

• 1 quart neutral oil (canola, peanut, avocado, etc.)

• 5 star anise

• 4 cloves garlic bruised and left in their skins

• 2 tablespoons (10g) coriander seeds

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1/3 cup (20g) Szechuan peppercorns

• 4 black cardamom pods

• 1 cup (110g) Szechuan chili flakes (or Asian red pepper flakes)

• 1.5 teaspoon (10g) fine sea salt

• 1 tablespoon (14g) black vinegar

Add the coriander, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, Szechuan peppercorn, and garlic into a saucepan and cover with oil. Bring the oil to a gentle simmer for 1—2 hours.

While the oil simmers, mix the Szechuan chili flakes, salt, and black vinegar in a heat resistant bowl or pot (big enough to accomodate the oil).

Once the oil has simmered for 1-2 hours, remove the garlic and discard. Up the heat to medium-high and bring the oil to a violent simmer (about 300 F) without letting it smoke. Turn off the heat, strain the hot oil through a fine mesh strainer into the chili flake mixture and let it cool.

Transfer the cooled oil to jars and store in the refrigerator or on the counter when using everyday.