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Rayu is a Japanese chili oil condiment that adds warm spice, aroma, and savory depth to gyoza, ramen, noodles, rice bowls, and stir fried dishes. This homemade version focuses on infusing oil with ingredients such as chili flakes, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, green onion, sesame seeds, or a small amount of soy sauce or miso for extra umami. The key technique is heating the aromatics gently so they release fragrance into the oil without burning, then combining them with chili to create a balanced spicy finish. As the oil cools, the flavors deepen and the chili settles into a rich, spoonable condiment with heat, nuttiness, and savory aroma. The final rayu is easy to keep on hand for quick meals, giving simple Japanese dishes a bold chili flavor and a homemade touch.
Transcript
00:00Out of those overpriced tiny bottles of Ryu, let's make a bigger batch for a fraction
00:04of the cost in just 20 minutes.
00:06It's so simple and you'll never need to buy those expensive bottles again.
00:10Watch how that beautiful red colour spreads through the oil.
00:14For a printable version of this recipe, visit my website, just google Ryu space statue to
00:19find me.
00:20First, I'm going to remove the germ of one garlic clove so that it's ready to go as
00:25soon as my oil is heated.
00:26Simply cut it in half lengthways and scoop out the germ with a toothpick.
00:31The germ can be better, that's why I take it out just in case.
00:36Next let's get our oil base ready.
00:38I'm grabbing equal parts of neutral cooking oil and toasted sesame oil and combining them
00:43in this heavy bottomed pan.
00:45I'm using 125ml of each so this recipe will make about 1 cup of Ryu.
00:51The neutral oil gives us clean heat conduction while the toasted sesame oil adds this root,
00:58not to complexity, that's just incredible.
01:00Now I'm heating this over medium until it hits exactly 160 degrees celsius, which is 320 degrees
01:07fahrenheit.
01:08Why am I being so obsessive about the temperature?
01:11When you nail the 160 degrees celsius mark, you'll see how the aromatic compounds release
01:17perfectly without burning.
01:19Now that our oil is at the perfect temp, I'm turning the heat down low and adding in my
01:29aromatics.
01:30I've got 3 ginger slices here, about 5ml or 0.2 inch thick with the skin still on, my garlic
01:38clove from earlier, and the green part of this Japanese leek that I've roughly chopped up.
01:43If you can't find Japanese leeks, you can use the green part of regular leeks or even shallots
01:49instead.
01:50I'm also taking these dried chilli peppers, opening them up and adding them along with
01:55their seeds.
01:56Now I'm going to let this mix simmer for exactly 10 minutes.
02:00I know it's tempting to crank up the heat or cut the infusion time short, but patience
02:06is absolutely key here for developing those deep complex flavours that make homemade Ryu
02:11worth their effort.
02:16While everything is infusing, I'm making my kitchen smell amazing, I'm going to prep my
02:21chilli powder.
02:22I'm adding 2 tablespoons of chilli powder to this glass bowl.
02:25I'm using Ichimi togarashi, but Korean chilli powder, Aleppo pepper, or Sichuan chilli powder
02:31can be good substitutes.
02:33I'm adding just a small amount of water, about half tablespoon, and mixing to create
02:38a thick paste.
02:39You want the consistency to be like wet sand, just moist enough to clump together without
02:45being soupy.
02:46This little water step is absolutely crucial.
02:49It creates a protective layer that lets the chilli infuse without scorching, which prevents
02:55that bitter taste.
02:56But be careful not to add too much water.
02:59Too much moisture can cause some splattering when the hot oil hits it.
03:04Place a fine mesh stainless steel strainer over the bowl, and then we're ready for our
03:09oil.
03:12Alright, it's been exactly 10 minutes of infusion time, so I'm removing the pan from
03:17the heat and pouring it through the sieve and into the bowl.
03:20The mesh needs to be fine enough to catch even small seed fragments while letting all the beautifully
03:27infused oil pass through.
03:29Hot oil is no joke, so I'm using oven mitts and pouring really slowly and carefully to avoid
03:35any splashes.
03:37Now I'm giving the strained oil and chilli paste a good stir, just until they're well
03:41combined.
03:42Look at this gorgeous, vibrant red colour spreading through the oil.
03:46Before we wrap up, let me show you how to store this oil.
03:50First and foremost, make sure to let your oil cool completely before storing it.
03:55And it's important to properly sterilise your jars, so boil the jars thoroughly, dry them
04:00completely, then make sure they're clean and free from any residue.
04:05Once it's cooled, transfer it to a jar with a tight sealing lid and place it in the refrigerator.
04:11If your fridge is too cold, the oil might solidify, so make sure to move the jar to a warmer
04:17spot
04:18in your fridge.
04:18I also recommend using a glass container since the chilli powder will stain plastic containers.
04:24With proper refrigeration, your homemade ryu should stay fresh for at least a month.
04:29But always do a quick freshness check before each use, give it a sniff, and if you detect
04:35any sour notes or it's different from before, it's probably better to make a new batch.
04:41And that's it!
04:42This homemade ryu is going to take your Japanese dishes like gyoza, tan-tan-men, or koto-fu
04:48to the next level.
04:50Want even more delicious recipes?
04:52Grab my free cookbook from the link in the description.
04:56Ok, let's go over the ingredients one more time, and if you're ready to cook, grab the
05:00written instructions by clicking the full recipe box with a picture that's about to pop up
05:05on your screen.
05:06Here we go, the link to the full recipe is on the screen for you now, and if you want
05:09to watch more similar videos, don't miss my homemade ingredients playlist popping up
05:13on your screen as well.
05:15Thanks so much for watching, and I hope to see you in the next one.
05:17Bye!
05:17Bye!
05:17Bye!
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