This oil comes from a recipe on the New York Times food website. It’s included in their recipe for Ramen with Charred Scallions, Green Beans, and Chili Oil. We haven’t made the whole recipe, but the oil alone is worth making.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons red-pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 cup of neutral oil. (grapeseed, vegetable, or canola)
• 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (of course you can add more)
• 2 teaspoons toasted white sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions

Put the red pepper flakes and the salt into a heat resistant bowl.

Put your neutral oil (we used grapeseed), ginger, and garlic into a small saucepan. OK, we like garlic so we used 4 cloves, but that’s just us. Heat this mixture over medium heat until it bubbles. It will take 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove the oil mixture from the heat and carefully pour the hot oil over the red-pepper flakes and salt.

Add the sesame seeds and the sesame oil. Stir well.

Let the oil mixture sit for at least half an hour to give the flavors time to meld. Make sure to shake or stir well before using it.

This chili oil can be stored in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to a month and indefinitely in the refrigerator.