#can you tell i really like garlic.. i'd put in a whole bulb if i could. like. excuse me but you've got some chili in your garlic oil

[blastburnt]

I kinda wanna give a go at making my own chili oil sometime. Got a good recipe to start with, or that's your fave?

okay so i don't think i've actually followed a recipe before, just loosely took guidance from various ones, this recipe being one of them. i'm always just praying that my ancestors are looking out for me, which works out for the most part. there's a specific balance i keep chasing so i'm always tweaking it, but what i roughly work with is:

rapeseed oil, enough to cover everything and then some

4-7 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

2-3 star anise

1-2 bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

really small knob of ginger

1/2 onion, sliced

1 tsp sugar

2-3 tsp MSG <- you can replace with salt instead

1 tbsp gochugaru / korean chili powder

1 tbsp sichuan peppercorns

1 tbsp black peppercorns

some chili flakes

20-40g whole dried chilis <- you can cut them into smaller pieces, but i tend to leave them as they are

throw everything together* into a small pot of oil and let it heat up gradually, then simmer on a medium low for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. watch the chilies especially, that they don't get too dark - fish them out first if you need to. discard the cinnamon, bay leaves and star anise. people usually say to store it in an airtight container, but i'm lazy and just keep it in a bowl. tastes better after a day.

sometimes i add roasted peanuts and toasted sesame. i think i've tried adding five-spice? basically, it's fun to play around with ratios and whatnot - i've got all those peppercorns and extra chili flakes because i like having more kick to it, so reduce/increase whatever yknow?

*most recipes will have you keep the dried chilis separate for you to pour the hot oil over it, which i believe is to reduce the risk of burning them? but i prefer to let them cook with everything else - just have to keep an eye on it! somehow, i haven't had to worry about the other aromatics burning as much as the chilies...

**i tend to add the gochugaru + chili flakes in the last 10 mins so they're less likely to burn