The short answer: Sichuan chili oil is chili oil with Sichuan peppercorns and warm spices. Heat neutral oil gently with star anise, cassia, bay leaves and whole Sichuan peppercorns, strain it, then pour it at 120 to 135 °C (250 to 275 °F) over chili flakes and ground Sichuan pepper. The result is red, fragrant and both hot and tingling.
In Sichuan cooking, red chili oil is a pantry basic. It goes into cold dishes, wontons, noodles and dressings. What sets Sichuan chili oil apart from plain chili oil is the peppercorn: a citrusy spice that makes your lips tingle and buzz. Add chili heat and you get "ma la": numbing and hot at once. Here is how to build it, spice by spice.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Time | About 35 minutes |
| Makes | About 350 ml |
| Pouring temperature | 120 to 135 °C (250 to 275 °F) |
| Keeps | Up to 1 month in the fridge |
Ingredients
- 350 ml neutral oil: rapeseed, peanut or sunflower
- 40 g Sichuan chili flakes, or half gochugaru and half hotter flakes
- 2 tbsp whole red Sichuan peppercorns, plus 1 tsp ground
- 2 star anise, 1 piece cassia or cinnamon, 3 bay leaves
- Optional: 1 black cardamom, ½ tsp fennel seeds, 2 cloves
- 3 slices ginger, 2 spring onions, ½ small onion
- 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Buy fresh peppercorns. Good Sichuan peppercorns smell sharp and lemony. Old ones lose their tingle. Pick out any black seeds and twigs, which taste gritty and bitter.
How to make Sichuan chili oil
- Prepare the bowl. Put the chili flakes, ground Sichuan pepper, salt, sugar and sesame seeds in a heatproof bowl. It should hold at least three times the oil.
- Flavour the oil. Put the oil, whole spices, whole peppercorns, ginger, spring onion and onion in a pan. Heat gently for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onion is golden. Keep the bubbles small.
- Strain. Lift out the spices and aromatics with a slotted spoon, or pour the oil through a metal sieve.
- Heat to pouring temperature. Bring the oil to 120 to 135 °C (250 to 275 °F). Hotter than that, and dried flakes can scorch.
- Pour in stages. Pour a third of the oil over the flakes. It will sizzle hard. Stir, wait 30 seconds, then pour the rest and stir again.
- Rest. Let it cool fully, then jar it. The flavour is best after a day, when the flakes have settled.
The spices and what they do
| Spice | Adds | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Sichuan chili flakes | Deep red colour, steady heat | Mix mild and hot flakes |
| Red Sichuan peppercorns | Tingle, citrus scent | Use whole in the oil, ground in the bowl |
| Star anise and cassia | Warm, sweet depth | Two pieces are plenty |
| Bay leaf | Herbal background | Take out with the other spices |
| Black cardamom | Smoky note | Crack it open first |
Green Sichuan peppercorns are also sold. They taste brighter and more floral. Try half red and half green once you know the basic recipe.
Balancing heat and tingle
- More tingle: add another teaspoon of ground Sichuan pepper to the bowl.
- More heat: swap a quarter of the flakes for a hotter chili.
- More colour, less heat: use more gochugaru or mild Sichuan flakes.
- Rounder taste: stir in 1 tsp soy sauce once the oil is cool.
For the plain version without peppercorns, see our chili oil guide. For a version full of fried garlic and shallot, try our crunchy garlic chili oil.
Common mistakes
- Frying the spices hard: star anise and cassia turn bitter when they brown fast. Keep the first heating gentle.
- Old peppercorns: they give scent but little tingle. Smell them before you buy.
- A small bowl: the oil foams up when it hits the flakes. Use a bowl at least three times bigger than the oil.
- Pouring all at once: one big pour can scorch the top flakes and leave the rest pale. Pour in stages and stir.
- A wet jar: water in the jar shortens the life of the oil. Dry everything well.
How to use it
- Spooned over wontons or dumplings with black vinegar
- Tossed through hot wheat noodles, as in our chili oil noodles
- On cold cucumber salad or sliced chicken
- Stirred into a dipping sauce with soy sauce and garlic
Storage
- Keep it in a clean, closed jar in the fridge and use it within a month. Penn State Extension allows up to 3 months; we use the shorter time.
- The ginger, onion and spring onion are strained out on purpose. Fresh aromatics left in oil should be kept cold and used within 4 days.
- Use a clean, dry spoon every time.
Questions
What makes chili oil Sichuan style?
Sichuan peppercorns and warm whole spices. They add a citrus scent and a tingling feeling on top of the chili heat.
Why does Sichuan pepper make my mouth tingle?
Sichuan peppercorns contain a compound called sanshool. It causes a buzzing, tingling feeling on the lips and tongue that fades after a few minutes.
Which chili flakes are best for Sichuan chili oil?
Sichuan flakes such as erjingtiao give colour and gentle heat. Korean gochugaru is a good, easy-to-find swap.
Why is my Sichuan chili oil bitter?
The oil was too hot when it met the flakes, or the spices burned. Keep the first heating gentle and pour at 120 to 135 °C.
How long does Sichuan chili oil keep?
Up to a month in the fridge, strained of fresh aromatics, in a clean closed jar.
