Oil infused with chili peppers or chili flakes, providing heat and flavor to dishes. A staple condiment in many Asian cuisines, particularly Chinese and Korean cooking.
From Nahuatl 'chilli' (chili pepper) and Latin 'oleum' (oil). Chili oil became widespread in Asian cuisines after chili peppers were introduced from the Americas in the 16th century.
The heat in chili oil comes from capsaicin, which is fat-soluble, making oil the perfect medium to extract and concentrate the spicy compounds! Different regions have signature chili oil styles - Sichuan's includes numbing Sichuan peppercorns, while Korean gochugaru oil emphasizes sweet heat.
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