PANTRYFLEX

stove · hot sauce

★ STARRED KITCHENPrep 10 minCook 15 min

Kato Chili Oil

Independent adaptation of a publicly published Jon Yao recipe. Not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Jon Yao.

Jon Yao's Kato Chili Oil, from the published recipe.

Ratio

Ratio by volume: Vegetable Oil 240 ml
Vegetable Oil 240 ml

Ingredients

  • Vegetable Oil1 cup (240 ml)
  • Gochugaru1/4 cup chili flakes (28 g)
  • Sichuan Pepper1 tsp (2 g)
  • Garlic4 cloves smashed
  • Ginger4 slices (20 g)
  • Star Anise1
  • Salt1/2 tsp (3 g)

Method

  1. This sauce is cooked on the stove — the jar is for storing it, not making it.
  2. Cook ingredients gently according to the published technique, adapted here as pantry quantities only.
  3. Finish off heat; adjust seasoning.

Companion jar

Kato Chili Oil wants a whisk and a stove — make it from this page.

The jar carries pour-and-shake sauces. These are its closest cousins from kitchens like this one:

4 kitchens · 5 stars · 4 national awards

First run is small.

Leave an email and we’ll hold a jar with its companions on it.

Provenance

Taiwanese-Californian chef of Kato in Los Angeles; James Beard Best Chef California 2025 and Michelin two stars. Fine-dining tasting menus drawn from Taiwanese home cooking.

More from this kitchen

FAQ

Can this go in a shake jar?

No — this one needs a blender or stove, so make it from this page. Jars only carry pour-and-shake sauces — its companion jar is below.

What do the quantities mean?

Amounts follow the published recipe in household units (with metric in parentheses). On a jar, every sauce scales to the same fill height.

Where did this recipe come from?

Adapted from Jonathan Yao / StarChefs & F&W pantry (published as “Kato Chili Oil”). Full citation lives in Provenance.