Lanzhou Chile 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:

• Fill a wok or small saucepan with the neutral oil and secure a deep-fry thermometer on the side. Add the yellow onion, green onion, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, fennel seeds, and peppercorns. Place the pan over medium heat and warm the oil until it reaches 300°F (no higher, or the oil will taste burnt) and the onions begin to caramelize at the edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Line a fine-mesh strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth and set over a heatproof bowl. Pour the oil mixture through the strainer, then gather up the sides of the cheesecloth and tie closed with kitchen twine to form a sachet. Add the sachet, chile flakes, white and black sesame seeds, and soy sauce to the oil and stir to combine. Let cool to lukewarm, then cover and let sit overnight at room temperature. Remove the sachet and gently squeeze any oil in it back into the bowl. Discard the sachet.
• Transfer the chile oil to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.