Attention hot: homemade chilli oil to give as a gift
16/12/2022
Translation: machine translated
The festive season is getting closer and closer. And I don't want to give anything that my loved ones already have or can't use. That's why I made chilli oil as a little Christmas present this year.
In my family and circle of friends, we have been giving each other only small gifts for a long time. This year, I want something homemade that I know my family and friends can use: a chilli oil. Whether over pizza, curry, dumplings or noodles: It almost always goes with it and gives every dish the necessary pep. I'll show you how it's done
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What you need
Recipes for chilli oil abound. I used the one from Eat This as a base - it's made with dried chilli powder, which is easy to prepare. I have adapted the recipe slightly, as certain ingredients are hard to find in normal retail outlets.
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The basic recipe for about 400 grams of chilli oil:
- 300 ml neutral oil (I used sunflower oil)
- 50 grams chilli flakes
- 15 grams Szechuan pepper
- 3 star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
Source: Livia Gamper.
I used chilli flakes from the Asian market, but those from the wholesaler also work well. However, the oil will then be less spicy, as these powders contain less heat. I also got the Szechuan pepper from the Asian shop, but you can also find it in larger shops here.
After that, you can add spices to the oil as you like. I used the following:
- 2 spring onions
- about 4 cm ginger
- 1 clove of garlic
- 3 cloves
Source: Livia Gamper.
The original recipe also has fennel seeds - I didn't have any so I omitted them. Sesame seeds can also be added, I left them out as they floated up on top in my last chilli oil, which didn't look so pretty.
To boil down, you'll need a large pot and a heatproof bowl, as well as a heatproof strainer. If you want to be precise, you can also use a thermometer.
How to do it
First, measure out all the basic ingredients and prepare them. Then cut the spring onions into pieces about five centimetres long and the peeled ginger into slices. Peel the garlic and press it open with one side of the knife. Then you're ready to start.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan to about 120 degrees - or until small bubbles form when you hold a chopstick in the oil. Then very carefully add all the ingredients except the chilli flakes - the hot oil will splash up slightly. At this point, it is a good idea to open the kitchen window - otherwise the whole flat will smell of chilli oil for three days.
Source: Livia Gamper.
Then leave the oil mixture to infuse for at least ten minutes, or better still half an hour. Be as careful as a yeast maker not to burn anything and keep stirring. Meanwhile, place the chilli flakes separately in the heatproof bowl and make a well in the middle.
Source: Livia Gamper.
Once you have allowed the oil to infuse enough, heat it to about 170 degrees and then carefully pour it through the heat-resistant sieve into the chilli flakes. Then stir quickly and leave to cool. If you like, you can add a little more salt here.
I put the finished oil into four previously boiled preserving jars. According to the recipe, the chilli oil will keep in these jars in the refrigerator for about half a year.
Source: Livia Gamper.
And still decorate
To make the chilli oil look festive, I decorated the jars a little. I used chalk labels and a chalk pen to label all four. I cut the labels in half and rounded off the corners. A small loop of gift ribbon is to round off the whole thing.
In total, it took about 1.5 hours to prepare, including decorating and cleaning up the kitchen. The chilli oil will now develop over the next few days and become a little hotter and darker. From experience I can say: the older the chilli oil is, the hotter it gets. 🔥
Source: Livia Gamper.
Testing devices and gadgets is my thing. Some experiments lead to interesting insights, others to demolished phones. I’m hooked on series and can’t imagine life without Netflix. In summer, you’ll find me soaking up the sun by the lake or at a music festival.
