La-yu is an aromatic Japanese Chili Oil that adds a touch of spicy kick and nutty savoriness to your favorite Japanese dishes and more! Use this versatile chili oil as finishing oil, dipping sauce, dressing, or in your marinade.
Hot, spicy, and deeply fragrant, la-yu (ラー油, 辣油) is one of Japan’s best-kept condiment secrets. This popular Japanese chili oil is commonly used to enhance Japanese-style Chinese dishes such as pan-fried gyoza dumplings, tonkotsu ramen, and yakisoba. However, it can certainly transform just about any dish that is in need of a little spicy kick and umami hit.
If you enjoy Japanese food and all things spicy, then you’ll need layu in your life!
Table of contents
What is La-yu
La-yu (also spelled as layu or rayu) is Japanese chili oil made by infusing sesame oil or neutral oil with chili peppers. You can find two types of la-yu in Japan:
Traditional la-yu (ラー油, 辣油): This is the most common Japanese chili oil. You can find commercial brands such as S&B Foods and House Brands that carry this style of layu.
Taberu rayu (食べるラー油): Loosely translated into ‘eating chili oil’, this chili oil is boosted with crunchy little bits of garlic, ginger, and Japanese green onion. Compared to the traditional la-yu, taberu rayu has an extra textural and aromatic dimension. You can use it as a finishing oil to spice up dishes, or as a standalone dipping sauce for your favorite dim sum such as shumai, shrimp har gao, etc. Some people even mix a spoonful of taberu rayu into a bowl of plain steamed rice and gobbled it up just like that. You can even use it as an ingredient to make Japanese rice balls (Onigiri).
Is Japanese chili oil very spicy?
It is spicy but again it depends on your spice tolerance. A few drops will go a long way.
Where to Buy
You can find la-yu at Japanese or Asian grocery stores and online stores. The most common brands are S&B La-yu and House Brands Rayu Chili Oil. It’s easy to recognize the commercial la-yu by their tiny little red bottles.
Homemade Layu Recipe
If you prefer to make your own (yes, it is super easy to make), I have a Homemade La-yu Recipe on the website. It also stores well for a long time, so it’s worth making your own!
How to Store
Store your la-yu in a dark, cool kitchen cabinet to keep the red color from fading. For homemade la-yu, store it in a glass jar for 1-2 months in the refrigerator.
How to Use La-yu Japanese Chili Oil
This aromatic chili oil is truly a versatile condiment. Even though la-yu is most commonly used in rounding up Japanese-style Chinese dishes, don’t let it stop there. Here are some ideas:
- As finishing oil for ramen like Miso Ramen and Tan-Men, or Vegetable Yakisoba, or Wonton Soup.
- As a dipping sauce for Gyoza (Japanese Potstickers), Vegetable Gyoza, and dim sum staples such as Shumai (Steam Pork Dumplings).
- Elevate bland tofu dishes such as chilled tofu, pan-fried or grilled tofu.
- As dressing for cucumber salad or blanched or grilled vegetables.
- Spice up Japanese-style wafu pasta such as Pasta with Shrimp and Broccolini
- Lends a spicy umami kick to fried egg, onigiri, Japanese-style pizza, and more!
More Japanese Condiments to Add to Your Pantry
- Mirin (Japanese Rice Wine)
- Japanese Mayonnaise (Kewpie Mayo)
- Tonkatsu Sauce
- Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese Seven Spice)
🛒 You can also buy these condiments on our Essential Japanese Pantry on our SHOP page.
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