The short answer: to make scallion oil, cut 8 to 10 scallions into lengths and fry them slowly in 250 ml neutral oil over medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes. Stop when the scallions are dark golden and crisp. Strain the oil and keep it in the fridge. Use it on noodles, rice, eggs and dumplings.
Scallion oil, or cong you, is a Shanghai pantry staple: oil in which scallions have fried slowly until dark and crisp. The oil tastes of toasted onion. The fried scallions are a topping you get for free. Add soy sauce and sugar and you have scallion oil noodles, one of the fastest dinners in Chinese home cooking.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Time | About 20 minutes |
| Makes | About 200 ml oil plus crispy scallions |
| Heat | Medium-low, small steady bubbles |
| Keeps | Strained oil: 4 days in the fridge, 3 months frozen |
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 scallions (spring onions), about 150 g
- 250 ml neutral oil: rapeseed, peanut or sunflower
- Optional: 2 shallots, thinly sliced, for extra sweetness
Why the whites go in first: they are thicker and hold more water, so they need a 3 minute head start to finish at the same time as the thin green tops.
Dry the scallions well. Wash them, then pat them dry with a towel. Water makes the oil spit and slows the browning.
How to make scallion oil
- Cut. Cut the scallions into 5 cm lengths. Keep the white and green parts in separate piles.
- Start with the whites. Put the oil and the white parts, and the shallots if using, into a cold pan. Set it over medium-low heat.
- Add the greens. When the whites start to sizzle and soften, after about 3 minutes, add the green parts.
- Fry slowly. Keep the bubbles small and steady. Stir now and then. After 12 to 15 minutes the scallions shrink, darken and turn crisp.
- Stop at dark golden. Take the pan off the heat when the scallions are dark golden brown, not black.
- Strain. Pour the oil through a metal sieve into a heatproof jar. Keep the crispy scallions on kitchen paper.
Scallion oil noodles
This is the classic way to use it, and it takes 10 minutes.
- Warm 4 tbsp scallion oil in a small pan with 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce and 1 tbsp sugar.
- Let it bubble for 30 seconds, until the sugar melts. Take it off the heat.
- Cook 200 g thin wheat noodles. Drain them well.
- Toss the noodles in the sauce and top with the crispy scallions.
Like it hot? Add a spoon of Sichuan chili oil, or follow our chili oil noodles recipe.
More ways to use scallion oil
- Spooned over plain rice with a fried egg
- In a dipping sauce for dumplings with soy sauce and vinegar
- Brushed over steamed fish or chicken
- Drizzled on soups and congee
- Instead of olive oil in a quick noodle salad
Garlic oil does the same job for pasta: see our garlic oil pasta.
Variations
- Shallot and scallion oil: add 2 sliced shallots with the white parts. They make the oil sweeter and the crispy topping richer.
- Ginger scallion oil: add 4 thin slices of ginger at the start. Take them out when you strain.
- Spiced scallion oil: add 1 star anise and a small piece of cinnamon for a warm note. Strain them out too.
- Raw ginger scallion sauce: a different recipe. Pour very hot oil over finely chopped raw scallion, ginger and salt. Because the scallion stays fresh, keep it in the fridge and use it within 4 days.
Whichever you make, keep the bubbles small. Slow frying is what turns sharp raw onion toasty.
Common mistakes
- Heat too high: the outside burns before the flavour comes out. Keep the bubbles small.
- Stopping too early: pale scallions give a weak, raw taste. Wait for dark golden.
- Going too far: black scallions make the oil bitter. Take it off the heat in time.
- Wet scallions: they spit and steam instead of fry. Dry them well first.
Scallion oil and other flavoured oils
| Oil | Taste | Best on |
|---|---|---|
| Scallion oil | Savoury, toasty onion | Noodles, rice, eggs |
| Chili oil | Hot, fragrant | Dumplings, cold dishes |
| Garlic oil | Mellow garlic | Pasta, roast vegetables |
Storage
- Strained oil: keep it in a clean, closed jar in the fridge and use it within 4 days, or freeze it in an ice-cube tray for up to 3 months. The oil was cooked with fresh scallion, so it follows the fresh-aromatics rule.
- Crispy scallions: keep them dry in a separate airtight box and use them within a few days.
- Do not leave fresh scallion pieces sitting in the oil. Strain them out.
- The oil may turn cloudy in the fridge. That is normal and clears at room temperature.
Questions
What is scallion oil made of?
Just scallions and a neutral oil. The scallions are fried slowly until crisp, which gives the oil a deep onion flavour.
What oil is best for scallion oil?
A neutral oil such as rapeseed, peanut or sunflower. Olive oil works but adds its own taste.
How do I know when scallion oil is done?
The scallions are dark golden, crisp and much smaller. The bubbling also slows down as their water cooks out.
How long does scallion oil last?
Strained, use it within 4 days from the fridge, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Keep the crispy scallions separate and eat them within a few days.
Is scallion oil the same as green onion oil?
Yes. Scallions and green onions are the same plant. In Chinese it is called cong you.
