Chili Oil Recipe

Chili oil is a sauce that is made with dried chilies, garlic, oil and salt. There are many variations of this recipe, depending on the type of chili you use, the additional ingredients you add and the consistency you want to give it. Here I will show you some recipes of Mexican chili oil that you can make at home.

Basic chili oil recipe

This is the simplest and most traditional chili oil recipe. You only need four ingredients and a blender or food processor. This sauce is very spicy and has a smoky and toasted flavor. It is ideal to accompany meats, fish, seafood, tacos, pozole and other Mexican snacks.

Ingredients

• 100 grams of dried arbol chili
• 1 cup of mild olive oil or sunflower oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Clean the chilies by removing the stem from each one.
2. In a saucepan put half a cup of oil to heat over medium-low heat.
3. Add the garlic and fry them until golden.
4. Put the garlic and hot oil in a glass bowl and set aside.
5. In the same saucepan put the remaining oil and heat it over low heat.
6. Add the chilies and fry them for a minute or until they change slightly to a brown color. Be careful not to burn them or they will bitter the sauce.
7. Remove from heat and put everything in the bowl with the garlic.
8. Let everything cool until it reaches room temperature, then transfer to a blender or food processor and add salt and pepper.
9. Grind in intervals until the sauce has the desired consistency.
10. Rectify salt and pepper if necessary and put in a jar or bottle.

Salsa macha recipe

Salsa macha is a variant of chili oil sauce that includes peanuts and sesame seeds to give it texture and balance the flavors. This sauce is originally from Veracruz, Mexico, and is widely used to serve white pozole. It is also known as chili in oil or chili oil.

Ingredients

• 100 grams of dried arbol chili
• 50 grams of dried morita chili
• 1 cup of mild olive oil or sunflower oil
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1/4 cup of roasted unsalted peanuts
• 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons of white or apple vinegar
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Follow the same steps as in the basic recipe to clean, fry and cool the chilies and garlic with the oil.
2. Add to the bowl with the chilies, garlic and oil the peanuts and sesame seeds. Mix well so that with the heat of the oil these two ingredients release their aroma and flavor.
3. Transfer everything to a blender or food processor and add vinegar and salt.
4. Grind in intervals until the sauce has the desired consistency. You can leave it thicker or thinner according to your preference.
5. Rectify salt if necessary and put in a jar or bottle.

Chili oil recipe with fresh chilies

This recipe is different from the previous ones because it uses fresh chilies instead of dried ones. The result is a greener, more aromatic and less spicy sauce. You can use any type of fresh chili that you like, such as serrano, jalapeño, habanero or guajillo.

Ingredients

• 200 grams of fresh chilies
• 1 cup of olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Wash and dry the chilies. Remove the stem and seeds if you want to reduce the spiciness.
2. Cut the chilies into small pieces.
3. Peel and chop the garlic.
4. In a blender or food processor, grind the chilies and garlic with olive oil.
5. Strain the chili oil through a sieve to remove solids from chili.
6. Add salt to taste and put in a bottle or jar.

Recommendations, variations and other interesting things

• Chili oil can be stored in a cool, dry place for several months. It can also be refrigerated to extend its shelf life, but it may solidify slightly due to coldness. To avoid this, it is recommended to use sunflower oil instead of olive oil, as it is more resistant to low temperatures.
• Chili oil can be customized with other ingredients that give it more flavor and color, such as oregano, thyme, bay leaf, cumin, paprika, turmeric, etc. Just add them when frying the chilies or when blending the sauce.
• Chili oil can be used as a base for other sauces, such as red sauce, green sauce or drunken sauce. Just add tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, cilantro and other ingredients to taste and blend them with chili oil.
• Chili oil can be used to dress salads, vegetables, pasta, rice and other dishes that need a spicy and tasty touch.

FAQ

What type of chili is used to make chili oil?

You can use any type of dried or fresh chili that you like or that you have on hand. The most common ones are arbol chili, morita chili, guajillo chili, serrano chili, jalapeño chili and habanero chili. Each one has a different level of spiciness and flavor, so you can experiment with different combinations.

What type of oil is used to make chili oil?

It is recommended to use a neutral-flavored oil that does not compete with the flavor of the chili, such as mild olive oil or sunflower oil. You can also use another type of vegetable oil, such as canola oil, corn oil or soybean oil.

How do you make homemade chili oil?

The process is very simple: you just have to fry the chilies and garlic in hot oil until they change color and release their aroma. Then you have to let everything cool and blend it with salt and other optional ingredients. Finally, you have to put it in a jar or bottle and enjoy it with your favorite dishes.

What is chili oil used for?

Chili oil is used to give a spicy and delicious touch to many Mexican Food and international dishes. It can be used as a sauce to accompany meats, fish, seafood, tacos, pozole and other Mexican snacks. It can also be used as a dressing for salads, vegetables, pasta, rice and other dishes that need a spicy and tasty touch. In addition, it can be used as a base for other sauces, such as red sauce, green sauce or drunken sauce.

I hope you liked this article about Mexican chili oil and that you are encouraged to prepare these recipes at home. If you have any questions or comments about this spicy sauce, do not hesitate to write to me. See you next time!