Hot Chili Oil
In my restaurant in Nashville, one of our popular items is our hot chicken sandwich which features our house-made spicy garlic chili oil as a glaze. While I’m preparing a batch for our use, I figured why not share with you the simple steps on how to make your own homemade chili oil to have on hand in your kitchen! The preparation is super easy and you’ll be glad to have this versatile spicy garlic chili oil on hand whenever you feel like adding a kick to any future dish.
In order to keep my aromatics separate from the minced garlic, I used this neat little tea infusing ball that allows my spices to infuse into the garlic oil and be easily removed after the simmering process. Some Asian markets have combo packs of these dry spices which come with a cheesecloth bag included for this very purpose, so keep an eye out for those next time you find yourself scanning the aisles of your favorite local shop!
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Combine minced garlic, oil, and cinnamon sticks in a large pot. In a separate temperature-resistant bowl, combine chili flakes and smoked paprika.
Step 2
Place star anise, cumin seeds, and black peppercorns into a tea ball or tie up in a cheesecloth package for easy removal and add to the pot along with 1 tsp salt. Simmer for 2-3 minutes on low heat, then turn up the heat until garlic has crisped golden brown.
Step 3
Turn off heat and remove spices from the pot.
Step 4
Pour the hot garlic and oil over the chili flakes and paprika, then allow the chili oil to cool down.