Ginger-Scallion Oil
Finely minced ginger and scallions bloomed in sizzling hot avocado oil and seasoned with tamari and toasted sesame oil.
Why you'll love Ginger-Scallion Oil
Ginger-scallion oil is the Cantonese sauce served with poached chicken, and once you have a jar of it you will spoon it over everything. Minced ginger and scallions go into a bowl with salt, and hot oil poured over them sizzles and blooms their flavor in seconds, leaving a fragrant, savory, gently sharp sauce.
The hot oil is the technique. It cooks the aromatics just enough to take the raw edge off the scallions while keeping them bright green, and it pulls the fragrance out of the ginger into the oil, so every spoonful carries both. Tamari and toasted sesame oil go in after the sizzle, once the oil has cooled a little, so their flavors stay intact.
This is the oil on the Ginger-Scallion Chicken with Bok Choy, at the same proportions, enough to spoon over four bowls.
Quick overview: This Ginger-Scallion Oil takes 10 min of hands-on time and about 13 min in all and makes 4 servings, each about 2 1/2 tablespoons. You'll need a saucepan.
Ingredients
- 4 scallions, white and green parts
- a 1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and very finely minced (about 2 tbsp)
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 1 tbsp tamari Label: water, soybeans, and salt
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Mince the ginger very fine: Peel the ginger with the edge of a spoon and mince it as finely as you can, or grate it on a fine grater. Fine ginger gives a smoother, more fragrant oil and spreads its heat evenly.
- Chop the scallions: Trim the scallions, dry them well, and slice them very thinly, white and green parts together. Dry scallions matter, because water hitting hot oil spatters.
- Fill a heatproof bowl: Put the ginger, scallions, and salt in a heatproof bowl that holds at least three times their volume, since the oil bubbles up when it goes in. Stir to mix.
- Heat the oil: Heat the avocado oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until it shimmers and a piece of scallion dropped in sizzles right away. Avocado oil has a clean flavor and handles high heat, and its mild taste lets the ginger and scallion lead.
- Pour and sizzle: Carefully pour the hot oil over the ginger and scallions. It will sizzle and foam. Stir with a spoon as the bubbling settles, so all the aromatics touch the hot oil and bloom evenly.
- Season: Once the sizzling stops, stir in the tamari and sesame oil. Adding them after the oil has cooled a little keeps the toasted sesame flavor fresh and keeps the tamari from spattering. Let it stand 5 minutes before serving.
Storage and leftovers
Move the oil to a clean jar, let it cool, and refrigerate it within 2 hours. Use it within 4 days. Fresh ginger and scallions held in oil belong in the refrigerator, and they taste brightest in the first few days.
The oil may turn cloudy in the refrigerator. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes and stir before using.
Variations
- Spicy oil: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the bowl with the ginger and scallions, so the hot oil blooms them too.
- With cilantro: Stir 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro into the finished oil for a fresher, more herbal sauce for fish.
- With garlic: Add 1 finely grated garlic clove to the ginger and scallions for a deeper, more savory oil.
- Soy-free: Use 2 teaspoons coconut aminos in place of the tamari, and a pinch more salt to taste.
Notes and tips
- Use a big bowl: Hot oil foams up when it hits the aromatics. A bowl with plenty of room keeps it from spilling over.
- Check the tamari label: Tamari should list water, soybeans, and salt. Choose one labeled gluten-free.
- Watch the oil: Shimmering is the sign. If the oil smokes, take it off the heat and let it cool for a minute before pouring, or the scallions will darken.
- Spoon from the bottom: The ginger and scallions settle. Dig to the bottom of the jar so each spoonful gets aromatics as well as oil.
Nutrition and mindful eating
- Fresh ginger gets its warmth from gingerols, the compounds that give it its gentle, lingering heat, and blooming it in hot oil carries that warmth through the whole sauce.
- Scallions are part of the onion family, and pouring hot oil over them softens their bite while keeping them bright and green.
- Avocado oil is the fat here, mostly monounsaturated, and it turns gently poached chicken and steamed vegetables into a meal that keeps you full.
- As you eat, notice how a spoonful of fragrant oil changes plain chicken and bok choy, with the warmth of ginger building slowly, and check in a few hours later whether the meal held you steady.
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this Ginger-Scallion Oil? Start here, with the questions people ask most.
What is ginger-scallion oil?
A Cantonese sauce of ginger and scallion bloomed in hot oil. It is the classic partner to white cut chicken, chicken gently poached and served at room temperature, and it is also spooned over steamed fish and vegetables.
Why pour hot oil over the aromatics?
The heat cooks the ginger and scallions just enough to soften their raw bite and release their fragrance into the oil, in a few seconds, while keeping the scallions green. Cooking them in the pan would take them past bright and toward brown.
Can I use olive oil?
A neutral oil is traditional, so the ginger and scallion flavors stand out. Olive oil has a strong flavor of its own and starts to smoke at a lower temperature, so avocado oil is the better fit.
What else can I serve it with?
Steamed or baked fish, shrimp, soft-boiled eggs, cauliflower rice, steamed broccoli, or grilled chicken thighs.
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