How I Make My Mala Chili Oil
Here’s my recipe for mala chili oil. Mala means “numbing spicy” and it is the flavor and sensation that is iconic to Sichuan/Szechuan cuisine. This is my go-to process for when I want to make my own chili oil at home!
The ma, or numbing part, comes from what is commonly called “Sichuan peppercorns” in the States, but it is actually the husks that are used in cooking these types of dishes. Sichuan pepper husks are super unique in that they contain a molecule that causes a tingling sensation on your tongue. It is not at all like the feeling of eating a spicy chili, where it burns like your tongue is on fire. Instead, it is a tingling, numbing sensation like when your foot “falls asleep”.
The la, or spicy part, of mala usually comes from adding spicy chili peppers to the dish. I really like the emphasis on the numbing quality in mala dishes, and prefer to get the chili flavors without having it be flaming spicy. So for my chili oil recipe, I use Korean red pepper flakes, or gochugaru. I think these have a nice robust chili flavor but they don’t add that much heat.
I make my chili oil by first combining the gochugaru, salt, and aromatics into a heat-safe bowl. Then I basically steep the sichuan pepper husks in the oil gradually, until they impart their numbing quality into the oil. (Remember to keep in mind that I like mine really numbing!) Then, I pour the hot oil over the chili flakes and aromatics to awaken all of their flavors. The hot oil splatters and bubbles when you pour it on the other ingredients, so be sure to proceed with caution!
This numbing spicy chili oil is great on dumplings, eggs, noodles, and more! Combining it with a little soy sauce and black vinegar turns it into an awesome easy sauce for my hand-torn noodles, or you can see it in use in my Dan Dan Dumplings recipe. I will probably add to this list of recipes in the future, because this chili oil is the foundation of so many ideas I have yet to write down. I hope you love it as much as I do!
Ingredients
2 tbsp coarse Chinese or Korean chili flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 scallion, thinly sliced
4 tsp pink Sichuan pepper
2 star anise
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup high smoke point neutral oil
Procedure
In a heat-safe bowl, combine chili flakes, garlic, scallions, and salt.
In a small saucepot, combine oil, Sichuan pepper, and star anise. Heat on medium-low heat until the lighter interior parts of the peppercorn husks begin to turn brown, about 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and wait for the pepper to turn fully dark brown, about 1 more minute.
Carefully pour oil through a fine mesh strainer over the ingredients in the bowl. Stir everything in the bowl together and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes (more is recommended) to let the flavors integrate and the garlic cook through.