Skip to main content
Epicurious

Chile Oil

Used in Chinese, Japanese, and Southeast Asian cooking, chile oil is easy to prepare at home, and it’s infinitely better than store-bought. Its intense heat enlivens many foods, especially dumplings, which benefit when chile oil is part of the dipping sauce or used as a garnish. Some cooks add aromatics, such as ginger, star anise, and Sichuan peppercorns, to the oil, but I like to keep the chile flavor pure. While you may use other cooking oils, such as canola oil, my preference is for the kind of peanut oil often sold at Chinese markets, which is cold pressed and filled with the aroma of roasted peanuts. It is texturally light, has a high smoking point, and offers a wonderful nuttiness that pairs well with the intense chile heat. Lion & Globe peanut oil from Hong Kong is terrific. Use just the infused oil or include the chile flakes for an extra brow-wiping experience.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 1 1/4 cups

Ingredients

1/4 cup dried red chile flakes or coarsely ground dried chiles
1 cup peanut oil

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put the chile flakes in a dry glass jar.

    Step 2

    Attach a deep-fry thermometer to a small saucepan and add the oil. Heat over medium-high heat until smoking hot (the temperature will top 400°F) and remove from the heat. Wait 5 to 7 minutes for the temperature to decrease to 325° to 350°F (drop a chile flake in and it should gently sizzle), and then pour the oil into the glass jar. The chile flakes will sizzle and swirl and then settle down. Cool completely before covering and storing. Give it a couple days to mature before using. Chile oil keeps for months in the cupboard.

Image may contain: Ravioli, Food, Pasta, and Dumpling
Reprinted with permission from Asian Dumplings: Mastering Gyoza, Spring Rolls, Samosas, and More © 2009 by Andrea Nguyen, Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or from Bookshop.
TagsCondimentEast AsianAsianSoutheast AsianChileVegetableDairy FreeGluten FreeNut FreeVeganVegetarianEasy5 Ingredients or FewerMeal PrepMake AheadCookbooks
Read More
Mango Sticky Rice
Khao niaow ma muang, or steamed coconut sticky rice with ripe mango, is a classic in Thai cuisine—and you can make it at home.
Easy Egg Custard
With just a handful of ingredients, this old-fashioned egg custard is the little black dress of dinner party desserts—simple and effortlessly chic.
Simple Hot Cocoa for One
With rich chocolate flavor and easy customization, this hot cocoa recipe is just the one you want to get you through winter.
Béchamel Sauce
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.
Peach-Blueberry Crumb Pie
The best fruit pie, complete with a brown sugar streusel topping.
Chicken and Cabbage Stir-Fry
Juicy ground chicken and charred cabbage are the stars of this family-friendly meal.
Dulce de Leche
Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.
Juicy Bison Burger With Cucumber–Red Onion Slaw
Upgrade any cookout—or keep the cooking on the stovetop—with these smashed cast-iron bison burgers, then stack with lemon mayo and a crisp cucumber-onion slaw.