Elevate your favorite dishes with this easy Pili Pili Oil recipe. With only six ingredients, this East African condiment has a flavorful, spicy kick that will make even the simplest meal taste extraordinary.
To make Pili Pili Oil, you'll need vegetable oil, cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, black peppercorns and dried chili peppers. Along with the ingredients, you'll also need a saucepan and a jar or container to store your finished product. Once you've gathered all the necessary tools and ingredients together, it's time to get cooking!
Begin by toasting the bird's eye chili peppers over medium heat in a saucepan. Toast them until they start to brown and pop, stirring every few minutes to ensure even cooking. Once you're done toasting, remove them from the heat and set aside. The next step is to toast your other ingredients - cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks and black peppercorns.
Add in some minced onion and garlic to the pan as well as cumin seeds and turmeric powder. Heat the mixture until it's fragrant - about five minutes - stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Once that's done, you can add in all of your toasted ingredients - the chili peppers, cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks and black peppercorns. Stir everything together and cook for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
When the toasted ingredients have cooked and become fragrant, you're ready to add in your oil. Pour it in slowly and lower the heat to low. Simmer everything on low for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. During this time, the flavors will fuse together and you'll be left with a thick and flavorful pili pili oil!
Once your oil has cooked for 15-20 minutes, turn off the heat and let the oil cool down. When ready, strain the oil through a mesh strainer into an airtight bottle or jar. This will ensure that you are getting a smooth and flavorful condiment without any of the utensils being used to make it. You can enjoy this spicy East African treat right away with some fresh bread, or use it in your favorite dishes!
