Are you the kind of person that must have something spicy with every meal, even if it’s the middle of the night and all you have at home is a pack of plain pasta?
Fret not, our Crispy Chilli Oil recipe is here to save the day.
Made with a few simple ingredients, Crispy Chilli Oil is the perfect accompaniment to just about every savoury dish you feel like eating – be it steamed fish, chicken soup, a fancy poké bowl or even instant noodles.
Just a teaspoonful or two will turn that mild meal into something you can really sink your teeth into.
And if all you really have is pasta, boil it up and toss it with crispy chilli oil for a spicy, tasty meal that’ll leave a tingle on your lips and tongue.
Ingredients
• 125g dried chilies
• 220g garlic, peeled
• 50g sugar
• 7g (1 ½ tsp) salt
• 600ml cooking oil
Method
• Use a pair of scissors to cut dried chilies into small strips.
• Place cut dried chilies into a colander or basket with small holes and shake until most of the seeds have been removed.
• Transfer deseeded dried chilli pieces to a blender and blend until fine and flakey – like chilli flakes. Don’t blend it too fine – you don’t want chilli powder. Use the small container for your blender, or a food processor.
• Mince garlic by smashing each clove with the flat part of your knife and then mincing it coarsely. Use a cleaver to get more garlic smashed and chopped in one go.
• Heat cooking oil in a wok until it reaches 150°C or until it is almost ready for frying.
• Add garlic. The temperature of the oil will drop to about 95°C.
• Stir continuously to fry the garlic until it’s a light golden brown, about 8 to 9 minutes or until the oil reaches 130°C. Scrape the sides and bottom of the wok so nothing sticks.
• Add chili flakes and continue to stir for 2 minutes.
• Next, add salt and sugar and stir to combine, scraping down the sides and bottom of the wok as you stir. Fry for 1 minute.
• Your crispy chilli oil is ready! Leave to cool before serving or storing.
Extra tips
• Make a big batch of crispy chilli oil as it can be kept for a very long time. Because it lasts almost forever, this is a great recipe to bring with you if you’re studying or traveling abroad and absolutely need something spicy in your meals. Just be sure to pack it really well as you would not want it to spill all over your clothes.
• Let cool completely before storing. Air tight containers like jars are best for keeping the oil in. Store in a cool dry place. Do not refrigerate. Don’t forget to scoop in the oil too. It’s not meant to be discarded.
• If you plan to make and store crispy chilli oil, make sure the garlic is thoroughly cooked. Raw garlic stored in oil can cause botulism and make you very, very, very sick.
• The longer you keep your crispy chilli oil, the darker its colour will be.
This article first appeared in butterkicap.com
Butterkicap is a food and culture platform and community that enables anyone to experience Malaysia through stories of her people, food and places.