First, we'll create a flavorful chili mix as the seasoning base for the chili oil. In a medium, heat-safe bowl, mix together chili flakes (1.5 oz), salt (0.50 tsp), sugar (0.50 tsp), and white pepper (0.50 tsp).

To these dry ingredients, add some oil (1 tbsp) and mix it in. This small amount of room temperature oil prevents the dry ingredients from burning when we pour the hot oil over them later on.

Optionally, you can add paprika (1 tbsp) for a color boost. It won't drastically change the flavor but will help give the chili oil a nice, bright red color.

Cut the ginger (0.50 oz) and red onion (1 oz) into slices. They'll be frying in hot oil, so don't fuss over getting them too paper-thin.

Smash the shallot (1 oz) with the side of your knife, then smash, peel, and roughly mince the garlic (3 clove).

Smash the star anise (2 piece) into smaller pieces, and rinse and wet the pieces in a bit of cold water. This will help keep them from burning during the frying step.

Keep everything separate, but close at hand.

Heat up your wok over high heat for about 30 seconds, and pour the oil (4 oz) in.

Once the oil reaches 300°F (150°C), or hot enough to bubble around a spare piece of onion, it's time to add the aromatics. While you're frying the aromatics, you'll likely need to lower the heat to medium so that the oil doesn't get too much higher than 300°F (150°C).

Add the sliced ginger first and fry for 15 seconds.

Add the garlic and fry for about 5 seconds (basically, the amount of time you may need to track down the next ingredient on your counter).

Add the shallots and fry for about 30 seconds.

Add the red onion and fry for about 15 seconds.

Add the star anise and continue to fry, stirring constantly for 2.5-3 minutes or until the ingredients are well-browned (not burnt!). Then turn the heat down or off completely.

With a mesh strainer or sieve, scoop out all the solid pieces. You can push on them in the strainer a little to squeeze out the oil back into the wok.

Once you have removed all the solids, heat the oil back up to 300°F (150°C). If you accidentally go too far and the oil gets too hot, bring the temperature down by lowering the heat and adding a tbsp or so of room temperature oil.

When the aromatic oil has come back up to 300°F (149°C), turn off the heat; it's time for the (somewhat) dramatic pour-over. Don't pour it all at once! Dumping a huge volume of hot oil at once will scorch and burn the chili mix.

Bring the chili mix close to the oil to minimize risk of dripping and bumping into obstacles.

Pour just one ladle of hot oil slowly over the chili mix. It should sizzle gently. Stir it in.

Add a second ladle of hot oil, again pouring slowly, and stir it in, and repeat with a third ladle of hot oil.

Add sesame seeds (1 dash) and stir those in.

Heat up the rest of the oil a little more. At this point, the batch of chili oil and chili mix have been brought up to a temperature where pouring in even hotter oil won't burn the solids anymore.

Add the final ladle of the hot oil (this should just about finish all the oil, though if you have more, feel free to use up the rest) and stir it in. Add a quick drizzle of sesame oil (1 tsp) to intensify the aromas of all the ingredients.

Store this amazing chili oil in the fridge, and enjoy for several months!