Vietnamese Sate (Lemongrass Chili Oil)
This authentic Vietnamese sate is a bold, lemongrass-packed chili oil that instantly transforms any dish. Made in one pot with garlic, shallots, and chili, it adds heat and savory depth to soups, noodles, marinades, and dipping sauces.
Ingredients
Aromatics
- 4 lemongrass stalks
- 2 medium shallots
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 4 Thai Bird's-eye chilies
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
Sate
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp annatto seeds
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegan fish sauce
- 2 tsp (8 g) sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the aromatics. Roughly chop the lemongrass, shallots, and garlic. Add them to a food processor with the chilies and the 1/4 cup of oil. Process for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides from time to time, until the aromatics are finely chopped.
- Heat the oil. Heat the remaining oil (1/2 cup) in a deep saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the annatto seeds and fry them for about 2 minutes.
- Strain the oil. Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain the oil, then discard the seeds. Transfer the oil back to the saucepan.
- Fry the aromatics. Heat the oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the minced aromatics and fry for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Do not brown them. Add the chili flakes and cook for one more minute. Remove from the heat.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Stir in the vegan fish sauce and sugar. Let cool completely before transferring to a clean glass jar.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. You can use sate in soups, marinades, stir-fries, noodles, etc. Make sure to give it a good stir before using.
Notes
Don't brown the aromatics. It's important not to fry the lemongrass, shallot, and garlic for too long, or they will burn and develop a bitter flavor.
Allow the sate to rest before using. The sate will taste better after one day in the refrigerator as the lemongrass and chili will have time to infuse the oil.
Give it a good stir. As the sate sits, the aromatics fall into the bottom of the jar. Before using, make sure to give the sate a good stir so the aromatics are evenly distributed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 tbsp | Calories: 118 kcal | Carbohydrates: 2 g | Protein: 0.2 g | Fat: 12.5 g | Fiber: 0.1 g | Sugar: 0.6 g
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