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Sichuan · Chinese

Sichuan chilli oil (hong you)

Vegetarian

红油 · hóng yóu

Oil infused with whole spices, then poured hot over coarse chilli flakes and Sichuan pepper so they bloom into a fragrant, ruby-red oil with a toasty sediment.

Sichuan chilli oil (hong you) is a Sichuan condiment from China, ready in about 12 hours 25 minutes and made with neutral vegetable oil and red chilli flakes. It serves 20 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Prep
5 min
Cook
20 min
Rest
12 h
Total
12 h 25 min
Serves
20
Level
Intermediate
Calories
132

Best rested overnight before using.

Ingredients

20 servings of 15 ml

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Put the chilli flakes (opens in a new tab), half the Sichuan pepper, the sesame seeds (opens in a new tab) and salt in a heatproof (not plastic) bowl.

  2. Step 2

    Heat the oil with the star anise (opens in a new tab), cinnamon, bay leaves (opens in a new tab), ginger, spring onion (opens in a new tab) and the rest of the Sichuan pepper on low heat for 15 minutes, until the ginger and onion are shrivelled and golden.

  3. Step 3

    Strain out the aromatics and bring the oil to about 160 °C.

    Liquid being strained through a sieve
    How it looks · Photo: Katerina Holmes on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Pour about a third of the oil over the chilli mix — it should sizzle hard but not blacken. Stir, wait 1 minute, then pour in the rest.

    • 2 min

    Food safety: Hot oil causes serious burns; use a stable bowl and pour slowly.

    If the flakes turn black instantly the oil was too hot; let it cool a little before the next pour.

  5. Step 5

    Cool completely, then jar. The flavour deepens after a night's rest.

About this dish

Origin
Sichuan, China · Well documentedMore food from China
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Condiments, chutneys & relishes · Sauces
Cooking method
Simmered
Taste
spicy (chilli heat), aromatic / warmly spiced, smoky, peppery
Diet
Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb · DASH-style
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead
Cook more with
Red chilli flakes · Sichuan peppercorns · Sesame seeds · Star anise / anise · Cinnamon stick · Bay leaves
Techniques
Simmering

Allergens

  • Contains: Sesamefrom sesame seeds

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

132 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 16 g · recipe makes 20

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 1%
  • Carbohydrate 5%
  • Fat 94%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g
Energy132 kcal827 kcal
Protein0.4 g2.3 g
Carbohydrate1.6 g9.9 g
Net carbohydrate0.9 g5.4 g
Sugars0.2 g1.5 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre0.7 g4.5 g
Fat14.4 g89.9 g
Saturated fat1.1 g7 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium59 mg370 mg
Salt equivalent0.1 g0.9 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
49 mg
Calcium
10 mg
Iron
0.3 mg
Magnesium
5 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
42 µg
Vitamin C
2 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
3 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): sichuan peppercorns.
  • Red chilli flakes: Ground cayenne (FDC 170932) used as a stand-in for dried chilli flakes such as pul biber or Aleppo pepper.
  • Star anise / anise: Anise seed (FDC 171316) used as a stand-in for star anise.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Pouring in two stages — hotter oil first, then cooler — gives both toasty depth and bright red colour.

Common mistakes

  • Oil too hot burns the chilli bitter; too cool and it stays raw-tasting and pale.

Serve with

  • Spoon over wontons in red oil (hong you chao shou), cold noodles, tofu or smacked cucumber.
  • Base for mala dressings with black vinegar, soy and garlic.

Storage

  • Keep in a cool, dark cupboard for 1 month or refrigerate for up to 3 months; always use a dry spoon.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Goes with

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

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Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

The spice and seasoning backbone

Spices, masalas & pastes

Used in steps 1, 2

Make it milder, swap ingredients for your diet, change the batch size or thickness — the original stays as it is.

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