Cantonese (Hong Kong) style chilli oil 辣椒油

In Hong Kong and UK, Chinese restaurants always offer a dish of fiery chilli oil to eat with the meal or dim sum.

I have already posted a recipe for Sichuan style chilli oil. Sichuan Chilli oil is fragrant but does not have a savoury taste.

Cantonese chilli oil is slightly different, usually has dried shrimps, shallot and garlic which give it a savoury taste. The solid is as nice as the oil.

Here is a recipe if you like to make some at home.





Ingredients:

makes 2 x 1 lb jars

125g shallot, peeled and cut into small pieces
40g garlic, peeled
40 -50g fresh red chilli, remove stalk and cut into small pieces
50g dried shrimps, soaked for few minutes then drained

50g crushed chilli or chilli flakes
1 tbsp red chilli powder (deeper red the better)
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp Knorr chicken stock powder or 1 tsp msg (optional), I used chicken stock powder
500ml cooking oil

5 - 6 tbsp cooking oil to be added after cooking


Method:

1. Put garlic, shallot, fresh chilli and dried shrimps in a mini blender/food processor and chop to a medium coarse texture.
2. Tip this mixture into a sauce pan and add remaining ingredients (except the last few tbsp oil).
   
3. Cook this mixture with medium heat till the oil is hot and bubbly. Turn the heat down to minimum and let it simmer gently and bubble away for about 35 - 40 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent catching or burning the solid part.
   
4. Once the solid has turned a dark rich brown colour and fragrant, heat off. Add the last few tbsp of oil to cool the mixture and stop further cooking. Let this cool down slightly and spoon into clean jars.

This chilli oil will last for months in the fridge.