Chiu Chow Chili Oil (潮州辣椒油)

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• What is Chiu Chow chili oil
• Top Tips
• Ingredients
• Cooking procedure
• Storage
• How to use it
• Other classic condiments
• 📋 Recipe card

What is Chiu Chow chili oil

When it comes to Chinese kitchen staples, chili oil or hot sauces are hard to ignore. Today’s recipe, Chiu Chow Chili Oil (潮州辣椒油), is an exciting addition to my homemade condiment collection. I’m sure you’ll love it just as much as my recipe for Classic Chinese Chili Oil, one of the most popular posts on this blog.

Chiu Chow (or Chaozhou/潮州) refers to a city in China’s southern Guangdong/广东 province (aka Canton), renowned for its culinary heritage. The chili oil named after this city is rich in garlicky, aromatic flavors with a subtle hint of sweetness.

While ready-made Chiu Chow chili oil is available on store shelves, I find it’s often too salty and lacks fragrance. Now that I’ve perfected this homemade version, I can’t wait to share it with you! After all, nothing beats an additive-free, preservative-free homemade sauce, right?

 

Compared to other homemade spicy condiments I’ve shared, here’s what makes Chiu Chow chili oil unique:

• It involves frying fresh chili and garlic in hot oil, unlike Chili Garlic Sauce, which doesn’t require cooking.
• It primarily uses fresh chili, setting it apart from Sichuan Chili Oil, which uses only dried chili.

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you need to make Chiu Chow chili oil:

• Fresh chili peppers: See the next section for more details on this key ingredient.
• Chili flakes: Add extra heat and a more vibrant red color.
• Garlic: Be generous with this aromatic booster.
• Onion: Used to infuse the oil.
• Neutral cooking oil: Such as sunflower, canola, corn, or vegetable oil.
• Soy sauce: Adds an umami taste.
• Salt: Enhances the savory flavor and extends the sauce’s shelf life.
• Sugar: Offers a hint of sweetness that complements the heat.
• Sesame oil. Adds extra aroma and a nutty taste.

Note: See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities.

Choose chili peppers

For my homemade Chiu Chow chili oil, I combined two types of red chili peppers: Dutch red chilies (similar to Fresno pepper, red Jalapeño), which have a mildly hot, slightly sweet taste, and bird’s eye chilies, which bring a much higher level of heat. The ratio I used is about 3 to 2 in weight, creating a medium-high level of spiciness that suits my family’s preferences.

Feel free to use my choices as a reference and select the types of chili peppers that best match your own taste. This also applies to the choice of chili flakes, which can vary in heat level too.

Cooking procedure

Step 1: Prepare the ingredients

Wash the chili peppers under running water, then shake off most of the water. Use a towel to wipe off any remaining liquid on the surface, or let them sit overnight to dry completely. Remove the green stems by ripping or cutting them off. Chop any large peppers into sections.

Put the peppers in a food processor. Pulse on high speed in short intervals, checking the texture each time. Stop when the peppers are finely chopped into tiny pieces, but not overly minced into a paste.

Peel the garlic cloves and use the same method to mince them in the food processor until they achieve a similar texture.

🌟 NOTE: A food processor works best for chopping a large quantity of chili pepper and garlic, as required in this recipe. However, if you plan to make a smaller batch, it’s better to use a mortar and pestle instead for better control over the texture.

Step 2: Infuse the oil

You may use a wok, deep skillet, or saucepan for frying. Pour in the cooking oil, then add the sliced onion immediately. Let it gently fry over medium-low heat. This step infuses the oil with a subtle onion flavor, similar to how Scallion Oil enhances overall flavor.

Once the edges of the onion turn golden, use a slotted spoon to remove all the onion pieces.

🌟 NOTE: To avoid waste, you can add the fried onion to any stir-fried dishes or use it as a topping for noodles.

Step 3: Fry pepper and garlic

Add the minced garlic and chili peppers to the hot oil. Mix well, then let them fry over low heat, stirring occasionally. Scrape any garlic or pepper pieces clinging to the sides, and make sure the bottom of the mixture isn’t burning.

Eventually, you’ll notice the peppers and garlic reduce in size, with a clear separation between the solid bits and the oil.

This process took me about 25 minutes. It may seem long, but patience is key, as the goal is to allow most of the moisture in the peppers and garlic to evaporate, ensuring a longer shelf life for the chili oil.

🌟 NOTE: It’s important to maintain an optimal heat. It should be high enough to fry the ingredients effectively but not so high that they burn quickly. You should see small bubbles forming on the surface, similar to a gentle simmer when slowly cooking something in water.

Step 4: Season the oil

Mix the chili flakes with soy sauce then stir them into the fried pepper. This step helps dampen the flakes so they won’t get burnt in the hot oil.

Then, add salt, sugar, and sesame oil. Give everything a thorough mix before removing the cookware from the heat. Let the chili oil cool naturally.

Storage

Transfer the cooled Chiu Chow chili oil to clean, dry, airtight jars or containers. If it will be consumed within 2 weeks (it’s so tasty and versatile that it never lasts long in our Red House), it’s fine to store it on the counter, away from heat sources and direct sunlight.

Alternatively, store the chili oil in the refrigerator for up to 2 months or in the freezer for up to 6 months. The storage duration may vary depending on how thoroughly the moisture was removed during the cooking process. Always inspect the chili oil’s appearance and smell before use to ensure its quality.

How to use it

Remember to always use a dry, clean spoon to scoop out the chili oil. It’s best to stir well to mix the oil with the sediment that settles at the bottom of the jar, as this combination provides the best flavor.

Chiu Chow chili oil is incredibly versatile and makes an excellent addition to many dishes. Here are some classic examples:

• Splash it over noodle or rice dishes: It adds extra flavor to Egg Fried Rice, Beef Chow Fun, Lo Mein, or Chicken Noodle Soup.
• Enjoy it as a dipping sauce: Perfect for dumplings, bao buns, and hot pot.
• Smear it over freshly made staples: Delicious on Scallion Pancakes, Plain Steamed Buns, or Zucchini Pancakes.
• Add it to dressings for cold appetizers: Perfect for Sliced Beef Shank, Smashed Cucumber, Scallion Oil Chicken, and more.
• Use it as a side sauce: Ideal for Salt-Baked Chicken, Hainanese Chicken Rice, or Turnip Cake.
• Season stir-fries: Enhances dishes like Hunan Pork, Pepper Steak, or Chop Suey.

Let me know your favorite way to enjoy it—other readers and I would love to be inspired!

Other classic condiments

Looking for more homemade Chinese condiments? Try these popular ones:

📋 Recipe card

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