Chilli oil

Chilli Oil

A beautifully, searingly hot nutty chilli oil from Ensenada, Mexico. Arbol chillies can be purchased online from Mexgrocer, one of the best websites for ordering Mexican groceries.

Ingredients

• 20g chile de Arbol
• 20g cascabel chillies
• 30g sesame seeds
• 50g peanuts
• 5 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 400ml vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ tsp Mexican oregano, optional
• ½ tsp caster sugar
• 1-2 tsp sea salt

Method

1. Start by deseeding the chillies - by breaking open the dried chillies and shaking out the seeds and discard the stalks.

1. Toast the sesame seeds to pale golden in a dry frying pan. Empty into a food processor and pulse blitz until the mixture is mostly ground.

1. Put half the vegetable oil in a small pan over medium-low heat (you are looking for approx 150 - 160C). Tear the dried chillies into a few smaller chunks.

1. Start with the peanuts, add them to the oil and let them sizzle and toast until lightly browned, then remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and add them straight into the food processor.

1. Add the garlic cloves to the oil next and toast for 4-5 minutes until the garlic is pale golden. Remove from heat with a slotted spoon and add to the food processor too.

1. Finally, toast the chillies until they gently darken in colour, 30-60 seconds, then remove and straight into the food processor – you do not want to burn the garlic, nuts or chillies or they will taste bitter. Allow the oil to cool slightly.

1. Add the apple cider vinegar, mexican oregano, caster sugar and sea salt to the food processor. Pulse this to break everything up.

1. Add the remaining 200ml of cold vegetable oil to get the motor running and blitz a few times. Then add the rest of the cooled cooking oil and pulse again until it is blitzed but still has a rough texture.

1. Taste, adding enough salt so that the chilli oil is tasting rounded and delicious. Empty into a washed and a sterilised jam jar, label and store.