SICHUAN CHILI OIL RECIPES

Steps:

• Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut all of the chiles into 1/2-inch pieces. Toast chiles in a dry wok or saucepan over medium heat, stirring and shaking constantly, until fragrant and lightly darkened in color, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer toasted chiles to the bowl of a food processor or mortar and pestle, and pulse or pound until the chiles break into 1/8- to 1/4-inch pieces that resemble store-bought red-pepper flakes or flaky sea salt. (Be careful not to overprocess.) Transfer the chile flakes to a heat-proof mixing bowl.
• Combine oil, garlic, ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cumin and fennel seeds in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until gently bubbling, then cook for 10 minutes, adjusting heat to maintain the barest of bubbling.
• Set a fine-mesh strainer over the bowl with the chiles. Pour the hot oil through strainer over the chiles. Discard solids. Stir sugar, sesame seeds, salt and MSG, if using, into oil mixture until combined. Allow to cool, transfer to a sealed container, and let rest at room temperature overnight before using. You can store chile oil in a cool, dark pantry for a few weeks, or indefinitely in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Place red-pepper flakes in a small heat-resistant bowl or pint-size jar. In a small saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, combine peppercorns, cinnamon, star anise, and oil over medium-low heat. Heat mixture until it registers 325 degrees on the thermometer, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn off heat and let steep 8 to 10 minutes until temperature reaches about 240 degrees. Pour through a strainer into bowl or jar with pepper flakes and let cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container or seal lid if using a jar. The chili oil can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.