Making your own flavorful chile oil at home couldn't be easier! This spicy condiment is great on Chinese foods or to add heat to any of your favorite foods.
Add 1/2 cup canola oil to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until it measures 300°F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove pot from heat and stir in 1/3 cup chile flakes, 1 Tablespoon soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 medium garlic cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, and 1/4 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns (if using).
Cool mixture completely and remove the garlic, cinnamon, and star anise before serving. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and serve with your favorite foods.
Notes
Use Sichuan chile flakes if you can find them. Gochugaru (Korean chile powder) is a slightly sweeter, less spicy option. You can also use regular old chile or red pepper flakes, and your chile oil will be coarser, as those flakes tend to be larger. I like to use a combination of the three types.To make this chile oil gluten free, use gluten free soy sauce or Tamari.