Banhoek Chilli Oil
Banhoek Chilli Oil was established in the cool Banhoek Valley in 2017. The founders were inspired by a “sauce piquante” they’d discovered and enjoyed while living in Europe. Frustrated by the dearth of chilli oils available on local and even international shelves, they set out to create their own premium oil; testing and trialling dozens of variations of chillies, oils and production methods until they got it right. What began as a passion project in a home kitchen has since grown into a thriving enterprise, and today Banhoek Chilli Oil is sold in hundreds of stores across southern Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Adi Recipe Keeper, Sibongile Production, Ken CEO & Henzil Sales
Banhoek Chilli Oil was founded on three principles: quality, consistency and flavour. While there are niche chilli oils that use olive oil as a base, they believe that the boldness of the olive taste masks the subtle flavours of the chillies. And they’re all about the chilli.
Bird’s Eye Chillies
That’s why they use a neutral tasting premium canola oil, harvested from the golden farmlands of the Overberg district, an hour’s drive from Cape Town. It’s the perfect supporting partner for the locally grown Bird’s Eye chillies that are sun-dried, hand-crushed and gently infused into the oil to deliver the perfect balance of flavour and heat. Bird’s Eye Chillies sit in the middle of the Scoville Scale at a reading of about 50,000.
Tipping the Chillies into the Canola Oil
Every batch of Banhoek Chilli Oil is hand made, with induction technology ensuring an even extraction of flavour from local ingredients only. After infusion the rosy-hued oil is drained, cooled and passed through a 16-stage filter to ensure a crystal-clear chilli oil that carries the bold flavours of sun-ripened Bird’s Eye chillies with just the right hit of heat.
Having worked with a food scientist, she told me that dried chili flakes you buy in the marketplace can vary hugely up and down the Scoville Scale. For me, Banhoek Chilli Oil offers consistency of heat, it really is an essential addition to your pantry.
Tuna, Apple, Celery, Spekboom and Banhoek Chilli Oil
What you’ll need
I tin Tuna [packed in water]
½ a small red apple
1 small stick celery
10 – 15 spekboom leaves, sliced, depending on the size of the spekboom leaves
You can replace the spekboom with fennel if not available
60 – 75 ml tangy mayonnaise
2 Tbs finely chopped flat leaf parsley
Sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
Banhoek Chilli Oil
What you’ll do
Drain the water off the time of tuna and tip it into a medium sized bowl. Add to it, the apple, celery, spekboom leaves or fennel, the mayonnaise [use less first and rather add later. Add the parsley and seasoning and allow to stand for a short while. Stir, taste and reseason if necessary. Stir in the parsley. Dish into a suitably sized bowl and garnish with thin apples slices, thyme and spekboom leaves. Serve with a fresh baguette or toasted sourdough slices.
Serve with a crisp white wine from a Banhoek Winery like Oldenburg Chenin Blanc. Read more about Oldenburg Vineyards – CLICK HERE
Read more about Banhoek Chilli Oil – CLICK HERE
