Anyhoo, after making these noodles we were left with the oil used for frying the spring onions and shallots. And discovered to our delight how utterly fragrant and yummilicious this infused oil was!
Ever since then we've kept a jar of either spring onion or shallot infused oil in our kitchen at all times! Today we're making Shallot Infused Oil 红葱油, a subtly sweet, garlicky and oniony fragrant oil that we use to drizzle over finished dishes to add that final extra flavor layer or simply to make the most delicious stir fry with. Oh man, oh man what a game changer this shallot infused oil is!
Shallots are a type of onion. Small, with red papery skin, they are a must have in many a pantry and used as an aromatic to build up flavor in sauces, salad dressing and marinades. Shallots are also often fried until golden and crispy, then added as a most deliciously umami crisp topping to noodles and many other dishes.
The flavor of the shallot is mild and slightly sweet, a bit oniony and a bit garlicky as well. A powerhouse flavor combination, eh? And just the thing to infuse an oil with!
When buying shallots look for freshness, dryness and firmness. Give the shallots a squeeze to check the firmness. Also check particularly for any mold.
Shallots are easy to prepare. Just slice off the two ends of the shallot. Then peel off the papery red skins. Once that is done the shallots are ready to slice. Slice in half first. Then slice each half into slices.
Here are our shallots, sliced and pulled apart into individual rounds, strands? Pulling the pieces of the shallot apart makes all the sizes equal. Equal sized shallot pieces makes sure the pieces golden up at the same time when you fry.
To fry the shallots we like to use peanut oil. Not only peanut oil but 'first press' peanut oil, heady and fragrant with nutty aromas. 'First press' designation means the first pressing of the peanuts and is the highest quality of oil extracted. It's equivalent to the 'extra virgin olive oil' designation for olive oil.
If you can't find 'first press' look for 'cold pressed' peanut oil. It is peanut oil pressed without the use of heat. It is also very good.
Heat the oil first. To check if the oil is ready for the shallots stick a chop stick or the handle side of a wooden spoon into the oil. When bubbles form around the chop stick the oil is ready!
Add in the shallots carefully. To avoid any oil splatter first put the shallots into a sieve, then lower to just above the oil before pouring the shallots in. Then it's time to wait and watch your shallots turn golden.
Once the shallots are golden and crisped to your liking use the sieve again to scoop up all the fried shallots. The shallots will continue cooking with residual heat after leaving the oil so take them out immediately when just a touch caramelized.
Place the fried shallots on kitchen paper to absorb any extra oil. As the shallots cool down they will crisp up.
Fried shallots are so yummy! My little girl always comes over to sneak them while they are cooling. I turn around and they're half gone, lol! So it's a good idea to always make more than you think you'll need.
And then comes the magic! You've got amazingly tasty and crispy fried shallots to use as the perfect topping aromatic. AND you've also got the oil leftover from frying! This golden oil, once cooled, is infused with all the aromatic flavors and heady fragrance of the shallots and is now your special stash of Scallion Infused Oil 红葱油.
Use this fragrant golden gorgeous oil to drizzle on top a bowl of noodles (like our Shanghai Spring Onion Noodles 葱油拌面). Or add a couple of golden drops to a bowl of Chinese Steamed Egg 蒸蛋 to jazz up the creamy custard. Or use it to stir fry a simple dish of vegetables. You won't believe how transformative a drizzle of this Shallot Infused Oil is! It's pure food magic! You'll soon find that you need a jar of this stuff in your kitchen!
Shallot Infused Oil Recipe
红葱油
(makes 1 1/2 cup) Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 8 mins
Ingredients:
- 8 shallots
- 2 cups peanut oil
Directions:
Prepare the shallots: Slice off the two ends of the shallot. Remove the skin. Slice the shallots into 1/4 inch thick slices. Loosen and then separate the layers of shallots to single pieces.
Heat the oil: Pour the oil into a small pot. Heat over medium heat until a chop stick or handle end of wooden spoon dipped in the oil has bubbles rising around it.
Fry the shallots: Place the sliced shallots into a sieve. Lower the sieve near to the oil before tipping the shallots in. Let fry for 5-8 minutes or until the shallots are golden and are just starting to caramelize. Use the sieve to immediately scoop the shallots from the oil. Spread in a layer over kitchen paper to soak up oil. These fried shallots are now ready to be used immediately for topping.
Cool the oil: Make sure all shallot and shallot pieces are removed from the oil. Let the frying oil cool completely. The shallot infused oil is now ready for drizzling!
Store the oil: Store the oil in an opaque lidded jar. If using a clear jar store in a dark cupboard. Use only clean dry utensils to scoop. The oil should last around 3 months. If you want to keep it longer store in the fridge.
Amazing Aromatics at The Hong Kong Cookery:
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