Figuring out my husband was allergic to sesame was a victory – as well as quite a pain. Sesame is a wonderful ingredient, so versatile and full of those nutty flavours we love. As he’s also allergic to all nuts and nut-like things we fell back on it quite often; I even developed a ‘peanut’ sauce using tahini. It also eliminates most Chinese food, which is a darn shame. Sesame allergies are on the rise, relatively common and often very severe.
I’ve come up with an easy to make oil that adds those can’t-quite-put-your-finger-on-it background notes that a strong oil like sesame provides to simple stir fries and dumplings and it only takes about five minutes to prepare! Throw a lid on this, toss it in the cupboard as use as you see fit: such as in stir fries, salad dressings, sauces and soups!
Stir Fry Oil
Makes 1 cup
Prep Time: 1 minute
Total Time: 5 minutes
1 cup sunflower oil, or other neutral oil
4 star anise pods
1 inch fresh ginger, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thin
Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan and gently heat for about 5 minutes, until fragrant. Remove from heat and store in an airtight container away from light.
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