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Pour about 2 cups of the olive oil into a pot. Heat it on low heat until gently warm, about 150-175°F.

Add the thinly sliced red onions to the warm oil and fry until they are brown and crispy. This will take approximately 8-10 minutes. Once done, remove the fried onions from the oil using a slotted spoon and set them aside.

Add the thinly sliced garlic to the same oil and fry until it is almost golden and crispy, about 3-5 minutes. Remove the fried garlic and set it aside.

Add the 2 sprigs of curry leaves to the oil. Let them crisp up, which happens quickly, about 30 seconds. Remove them immediately once crispy and set aside.

Add the 1/2 cup of dried baby shrimp to the oil. Fry for about 10 seconds until lightly crispy. Remove the fried shrimp and set it aside.

In a heatproof mixing bowl, combine the 1 cup of Sri Lankan red chili flakes, a pinch of MSG, and a pinch of salt.

Carefully pour the hot oil (that was used for frying the aromatics) over the chili mixture in the bowl. Be cautious as it may bubble.

Add the 1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, and 2 tablespoons of sugar to the chili oil mixture. Mix everything well with a spoon.

Let the chili oil mixture cool down completely to room temperature. This will take several hours.

Once the oil has cooled, add all the previously fried onions, garlic, curry leaves, and shrimp back into the chili oil mixture.

Add black pepper to taste. Top up the mixture with the remaining olive oil, as needed, to ensure all ingredients are submerged. Mix everything one final time.

Transfer the chili oil to an airtight container. Let it sit for at least 24 hours before using to allow the flavors to meld and deepen.


Pour about 2 cups of the olive oil into a pot. Heat it on low heat until gently warm, about 150-175°F.

Add the thinly sliced red onions to the warm oil and fry until they are brown and crispy. This will take approximately 8-10 minutes. Once done, remove the fried onions from the oil using a slotted spoon and set them aside.

Add the thinly sliced garlic to the same oil and fry until it is almost golden and crispy, about 3-5 minutes. Remove the fried garlic and set it aside.

Add the 2 sprigs of curry leaves to the oil. Let them crisp up, which happens quickly, about 30 seconds. Remove them immediately once crispy and set aside.

Add the 1/2 cup of dried baby shrimp to the oil. Fry for about 10 seconds until lightly crispy. Remove the fried shrimp and set it aside.

In a heatproof mixing bowl, combine the 1 cup of Sri Lankan red chili flakes, a pinch of MSG, and a pinch of salt.

Carefully pour the hot oil (that was used for frying the aromatics) over the chili mixture in the bowl. Be cautious as it may bubble.

Add the 1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, and 2 tablespoons of sugar to the chili oil mixture. Mix everything well with a spoon.

Let the chili oil mixture cool down completely to room temperature. This will take several hours.

Once the oil has cooled, add all the previously fried onions, garlic, curry leaves, and shrimp back into the chili oil mixture.

Add black pepper to taste. Top up the mixture with the remaining olive oil, as needed, to ensure all ingredients are submerged. Mix everything one final time.

Transfer the chili oil to an airtight container. Let it sit for at least 24 hours before using to allow the flavors to meld and deepen.
