So, I’ve been on a bit of a mission lately to make more of my own condiments, and today I want to share my little adventure with making organic chili oil. You know, the store-bought stuff can be a bit hit or miss, and I really wanted to control the ingredients and, well, make it truly organic.
First things first, I had to gather my supplies. This was actually a fun part. I went to my local organic store and picked up some really nice dried red chilies. I got a couple of varieties because I like a complex heat, not just a punch in the face. Then, a good quality organic neutral oil – I opted for sunflower oil this time, though a light olive oil or even avocado oil could work. The key is organic for everything, that was my main goal.
Next up was prepping the chilies. I decided to make chili flakes rather than a super fine powder. So, I took off the stems, gave them a quick wipe, and then pulsed them a few times in my spice grinder. Not too much, just enough to break them down. I like having some texture, you see. Some folks add other things here, like Sichuan peppercorns or star anise. I kept it simple for this batch, focusing on the chili itself, but I did throw in a couple of bay leaves and a small piece of cinnamon stick into my heatproof jar where the magic would happen.
Then came the oil. I poured about two cups of the organic sunflower oil into a saucepan. The trick here is to heat it gently. You don’t want it smoking like crazy. I usually aim for a temperature where if I stick a wooden chopstick in, I see little bubbles forming around it. That’s my cue. I also added a few slices of ginger and a couple of garlic cloves (lightly smashed) to the oil as it was heating up, just to get some aromatic undertones. I fished these out before pouring the oil over the chilies, though. We want their essence, not burnt bits.
Alright, this is the exciting part. I had my organic chili flakes, the bay leaves, and cinnamon in a sturdy, heatproof glass jar. Once the oil was at the right temperature – hot but not scorching – I carefully, and I mean carefully, poured it over the chili flakes. Oh, the sizzle! That’s the sound I was waiting for. It’s super important to use a jar that can handle the heat, and to pour slowly. I stirred it gently as I poured to make sure all the chilies got nicely coated and started to release their beautiful color and aroma into the oil.
After all the oil was in, I gave it another gentle stir. The kitchen started smelling amazing at this point. Then, the hardest part: waiting. I just covered the jar loosely (to let any steam escape initially) and let it sit on the counter to cool down completely and for all those wonderful flavors to infuse. This usually takes a few hours, or even better, overnight. The color deepens, and the oil just gets richer.
I’ve learned a few things along the way. For instance, don’t overheat your oil, or you’ll scorch the chilies, and it’ll taste bitter. Been there, done that. Also, make sure your chilies and jar are completely dry. Water and hot oil are not friends.
Once it was fully cooled, I gave it a final stir, and then sealed the jar. And there you have it – my very own batch of organic chili oil. It’s got this beautiful deep red color, and the flavor is just fantastic. So much better than anything I could buy, and I know exactly what’s in it. I use it on noodles, eggs, dumplings, pretty much anything that needs a little kick and a lovely red hue. It’s a simple process, really, but so rewarding.
