Red Hot Chile Oil Recipe
Spicy Pepper Oil: Great for Stir Fry, Salad Dressing and Lovely Gift
Chile oil is bright, festive and easy to make. Its distinctive red color and not-so-subtle heat make it a great cooking ingredient for use at home or to package and give as a gift. Used to sauté chicken or beef, mixed in salad dressings, or for a quick vegetable stir fry, chile oil adds a pleasant underlying heat and flavor to a dish. Having a bright red bottle of chile oil in the pantry is an affordable kitchen luxury.
Which Peppers to Use?
Any dried red, thin skinned pepper works well in chile oil. Once dried, these peppers are easily crushed and infused into the oil. Examples of good peppers to use include Thai hot, cayenne, and Super Chile. If you grow your own peppers, dry them thoroughly before using them to make chile oil. Crushed red pepper flakes that you find in the spice aisle of the grocery store also work well. Chile oil can be made from one type of pepper or from a mix of different peppers.
Choosing an Oil
The choice of which oil to use depends on your own taste preferences and what you plan to do with the finished product. For example, if you plan to use the oil as a condiment or to make salad dressing, you may choose a good all-purpose vegetable oil or a virgin olive oil. If you plan to use it for stir fry or to sauté, perhaps an earthy peanut oil or sunflower oil is a good choice. Each of these oils will impart a slightly different flavor to the final product; all are delicious.
Other Flavors
Although certainly not required, additional flavors can be added to chile oil to customize the blend. Paprika and cumin both lend a smoky flavor to the mixture, but any spice that pairs well with hot peppers can be used. If you choose to add a little something extra, only a teaspoon or two of powdered or granular spices are needed to modify the taste.
Red Hot Chile Oil Recipe
This is a very forgiving recipe and as long as the peppers are thoroughly dried and the mixture does not burn during cooking, it’s really hard to go wrong. By infusing the oil with the flavor and heat of the chiles, you produce an end result that is truly greater than the sum of its parts.
Ingredients
- 1 cup oil
- ¼ cup dried crushed red peppers
Heat the oil and dried peppers in a heavy saucepan over low heat until the peppers stop sizzling. Do not let the oil smoke. Stir occasionally so the pepper flakes do not burn on the bottom of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat.
If you choose to add additional spices, add them after you remove the oil from the heat, but while it is still warm. Allow the mixture to cool completely. Strain through several layers of cheesecloth or a coffee filter; discard the solids. Pour the clear red oil into a clean bottle and cap tightly.
Chile oil does not need to be refrigerated, but should be kept in a cool dark cupboard or pantry. If you choose to keep your oil in the refrigerator, you may notice that it clouds up and the color changes. Not to worry – the chile oil will return to its original color and consistency once it warms back up to room temperature.
For more information about chile peppers, see Chile Pepper Heat.
Bottles of Red Hot Chile Oil
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