DIY: Chili oil

There I was the other day, trying to come up with something to prank my handful of readers with, when I realized it was almost noon. So I got up and made lunch — porcine ears, sliced thinly and sautéed in chili oil, like at Chong Qing. But even better, I had dared hope, since my maskara was not only boiled, but grilled as well. And I had abalone-flavored macadamias in lieu of peanuts.

What I was not counting on was for Pantai Chili Paste with Soya Bean Oil to have no heat at all. Zilch, zip, nada. How about that for an April Fools’ joke? Except this one was all too real. I’ll be damned if I ever spend another centavo on this company’s products again (their tamarind paste is equally lacking in flavor), same with the Thai Heritage brand.

Another problem was I couldn’t find chili oil in the local supermarkets. Like I’ve noted elsewhere, Filipinos are not big on chili. Even our hot sauces are questionably hot. When my sister’s boyfriend came over to visit, he took to smashing fresh chilies on his plate (he’s Vietnamese). I winced, of course — I like chili, but not that much.

The obvious solution was to make my own chili oil — hence this unplanned installment to the DIY series. If you were hoping for a recipe for the pork’s ears, it’s simple. Boil ears with salt, peppercorns, and smashed ginger, until tender (but not too tender). Rinse well and rub with kalamansi juice, then season with more salt and cracked black pepper. Grill until nicely blistered, then slice thinly. Sauté in chili oil (use liberally) with Sichuan peppercorns if you have those, cilantro stems, and nuts. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil and a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds.

But first, the chili oil. Get red/ripe bird’s-eye chilies, although green will do in a pinch. Use as much as you fancy — the more, the hotter your oil — just remember to wear gloves and protective glasses when handling chilies. As for the oil, you can use anything that’s neutral-tasting, keeping in mind its melting/freezing temperature. For example, coconut oil solidifies at 25°C (compared to corn oil at -11°C, say), so I know better to store the finished oil in a wide-mouthed jar instead of a long-necked bottle so I can scoop out the amount I need when I take it out of the refrigerator, which is at 3°C.

Chili oil

Equipment:

• Mortar & pestle
• Frying pan
• Mesh strainer

Ingredients:

• 1 liter coconut oil
• 100 grams red bird’s-eye chilies

1. Clean chilies, removing stems. Rinse well and dry thoroughly.
2. Using mortar and pestle, pound chilies until pulpy (but not pasty). Wear gloves and protective glasses to avoid any contact with the juices.
3. Transfer chilies to a frying pan (or any deep pan). Pour in oil and bring to a slow simmer over low heat until chilies are dehydrated (not burnt). Turn off heat, let cool completely, strain out solids, and transfer oil to container. Store in refrigerator until using.