China Moon Chili-Lemon Oil

China Moon chili-lemon oil is the famous condiment from Barbara Tropp’s legendary San Francisco restaurant, and it’s the kind of jar that quietly transforms whatever you spoon it over. Corn and sesame oil get infused with dried red pepper flakes, mouth-tingling Szechuan peppercorns, and julienned ginger, then finished with fresh minced lemon zest after the oil cools off the heat. The temperature control is the whole game, 223°F (106°C) for exactly 15 minutes is hot enough to extract flavor from the aromatics without scorching them into bitterness. Adding the lemon zest only after the pan comes off the heat preserves the bright, perfumed citrus oils that would otherwise burn off. The result is a glossy, ember-orange oil with serious complexity, equal parts smoke, heat, citrus, and the unique numbing tingle of Szechuan peppercorns. Drizzle over cold noodles, dumplings, steamed fish, eggs, soups, or anywhere you’d use chili crisp.

Chef Tips

• Use a deep-fry or candy thermometer, eyeballing the heat is the fastest way to scorch the aromatics and ruin a whole batch.
• The recipe calls for lemongrass to remove, but the ingredient list as written doesn’t include it, add 2 stalks bruised and chopped if you have it, the original China Moon recipe relied on it.
• Use only freshly toasted Szechuan peppercorns, the older the peppercorns the less of that signature numbing buzz they’ll deliver.
• Store in a sterilized jar in the fridge for up to a month, the flavors keep deepening for the first week.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of fermented black beans for a saltier, more umami-driven version.
• Stir in a teaspoon of smoked paprika for a slightly bacony-smoky undertone.
• Use orange zest instead of lemon for a sweeter, more aromatic citrus profile.