Asian Aromatic Chili Oil Sauce

Nothing fancy here, except the best style Chili Oil I have tasted.   Laura and I frequent a Vietnamese Restaurant about once per week.  Pho Tai for her and Bun Bo Hue for moi.  We always get a side of spring rolls and pot stickers.  Well they had a little dish of chili oil on the table and I added it to my plate.  Bango!  It was awesome.  It had flavor over and above the heat.   Laura, who is not a fan of flaming heat by itself likes this stuff too.  She even mention giving as gifts (My kids are spice nuts)   After raving a bit, the owner says "Its Easy, You can make."  She gave me the ingredients and when I asked which chilies, the chef, her husband, walked next door to the Asian Grocery with me and picked up the Package.  With a fresh visit on my mind and ingredients purchased, I made this morning.  Not going to inundate with photos this morning,  Just the recipe. 

 

Ingredients:

 

1/4 c. Coconut oil or light vegetable oil

2 finely minced Shallots (3 oz pkg)

4 finely minced cloves Garlic

4 Tbsp Asian Chili Powder (Use Prepared like I did, or you could grind some whole in your spice grinder, aka why does this coffee taste spicy Coffee Grinder) 

1/8-1/4 c. light vegetable oil for finish

 

Here is the Chili Powder. Maesri also happens to be my favorite Thai Curry base brand. 



 

 

 

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add the minced Shallots and fry until just starting to turn very light brown (~2 min).  Add the garlic and continue frying until light golden brown. (Additional minute or so).  For what its worth, burnt garlic tastes bad and will impart a bitter taste.  If you burn it, toss it. 

 

Remove from the heat and add the 3Tbsp of Chili Powder while the pan is still warm.  Mix thoroughly.  The mixture will be thick and paste-like, keep stirring and let the residual heat warm the chili to release its oils into the mixture. 

 

Now add additional light vegetable oil into the mix a few tablespoons at a time until it is smooth and there is a shiny layer just over the top.  You are creating a sauce, not so much a traditional Chinese-like oil.  I used vegetable oil the 2nd time around because this will be going in the fridge; Coconut oil alone will solidify.

 

Spoon the mixture into a 1/2 pint jar and let sit a week at room temp.  I am sure you could use a little right away, but it does get better with age.   

 

After a week, move to the fridge.

 

Big shout out to Hung and Julie Thatch, owners of Pho and Hot Pot, Lake Park, FL