Herbie
Guru
AKA. My friend's dad's chilli oil
There are many recipes for Chinese chilli oil with different spices and with shrimp, sesame, peanuts, etc. but this is my attempt to recreate my friend's dad's recipe. When I go to London I usually pick up a jar. We are trying to get him to make it to sell (he used to have his own takeaway) but he thinks our complements are just us being kind friends. My friend tells her dad we are not at all kind and only stay friends with her for the chilli oil.
2 cups sunflower oil
1 star anise
1 stick Chinese cinnamon
2 cloves garlic
3/4 cup Chinese chilli flakes
1/4 Szechuan pepper lightly toasted and crushed.
Get two sauce pans and a seize. Make sure your work area is safe as you will be pouring hot oil.
Put the chillies in one saucepan.
In the other pan, warm the oil with the spices for five minutes (Longer f you want the flavours stronger).
Turn up heat until oil is just smoking (don't let the garlic burn) and pour though seize over the chillies.
I pick out the garlic and add to the oil/chilli mixture but take out the cinnamon and star anise.
Leave to cool over night
Jar up
Store in fridge
This can be used in cooking or as an accompaniment. Mix with olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, etc. to make dressings for salads/vegetables, dipping sauces, etc.
I used the remains of my last batch to make the sauce for my dim sum (to follow)
I'll add photo once it is in a jar.
There are many recipes for Chinese chilli oil with different spices and with shrimp, sesame, peanuts, etc. but this is my attempt to recreate my friend's dad's recipe. When I go to London I usually pick up a jar. We are trying to get him to make it to sell (he used to have his own takeaway) but he thinks our complements are just us being kind friends. My friend tells her dad we are not at all kind and only stay friends with her for the chilli oil.
2 cups sunflower oil
1 star anise
1 stick Chinese cinnamon
2 cloves garlic
3/4 cup Chinese chilli flakes
1/4 Szechuan pepper lightly toasted and crushed.
Get two sauce pans and a seize. Make sure your work area is safe as you will be pouring hot oil.
Put the chillies in one saucepan.
In the other pan, warm the oil with the spices for five minutes (Longer f you want the flavours stronger).
Turn up heat until oil is just smoking (don't let the garlic burn) and pour though seize over the chillies.
I pick out the garlic and add to the oil/chilli mixture but take out the cinnamon and star anise.
Leave to cool over night
Jar up
Store in fridge
This can be used in cooking or as an accompaniment. Mix with olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, etc. to make dressings for salads/vegetables, dipping sauces, etc.
I used the remains of my last batch to make the sauce for my dim sum (to follow)
I'll add photo once it is in a jar.
Last edited:
The recipe sounds lovely! And your friend's Dad should be encouraged.