Homemade chili oil

Homemade gifts are definitely hot this year. Why not go for some double heat and give your aunt some homemade chili oil this Christmas?

And edible gifts are also usually a big hit as they clutter less than yet another pair of candleholders!

Chili oil is easy and quick to make.

The shopping list:

• A small, decorative glass bottle
• Oil (for example olive oil)
• Red chilies
• Twine or ribbor or similar
• Some paper or ready-made tags

Start by chopping one red chili (one per bottle you are making).

Combine the chopped chili and oil in a pot and heat up just a little bit. It should not boil and it should not smoke.

Take the pot off the heat, cover with a lid and let the oil cool down for a while (a few hours or even overnight). Wash and dry a whole red chili and put this in the bottle that you bought. Now strain the oil and pour it into the bottle. Label the bottle with whatever you like – I prefer plain handwriting on natural paper, attached with twine. I think that this style accentuates the home-made factor.

Voila!

I gave this to a colleague of mine; she asked if this could be used as massage oil. I believe that would be a heated experience, however not in a sense that one would necessarily prefer! Ha!

But the oil would be great for frying scampi, fish (for fish tacos perhaps?), drizzle over pizza or vegetables or whatever you like.

Enjoy! I am also making some herb oils that will appear on the blog soonish… yum!

Karen 🙂