I sought to replicate the chili oil offered as a condiment at Taiwanese dumpling houses- fiery, but with a strong spiced note and a nice chunky body. It is good on every protein and green vegetable, but it shines on simple pork chops, egg-battered tofu, fish, fried rice, green beans, and kale. Combine it with soy sauce and black vinegar for a fast and delicious dumpling dip. <br /> <br />Variations: This recipe is customizeable and could yield a clear cooking oil (less crushed chilies, strained out), a numbing Sichuan oil (steep the peppercorns overnight), or a mild dip (less chilies, or a mild variety). My ideal oil does not steep the peppercorns, uses spicy crushed Chinese chilies for heat, and fruity Korean chili powder for its flavor (see note). I use 2 cups of chilies for a spicy and chunky oil, which increases the volume of the jars to 6 cups. <br /> <br />Note: The first time I made this, I used Tien Tsin chilies and nearly killed a person who threw it in a smoking wok- very fiery! Commercial red pepper, however, produces a bland tasting oil. If you do not want the extreme spice of the Chinese chilies, use something with a complex flavor such as Aleppo or Korean varieties for the crushed pepper.

Share: