1. Put the flakes in a large bowl
2. Pour the oil in a wok and add the ginger, leek and garlic.
3. On low heat fry the ginger, leek and garlic till fragrant. When the garlic will turn golden brown. Remove the garlic, leek and ginger and mix the hot oil tablespoon by tablespoon into the bowl of the chili flakes.
4. Let it cool down and bottle it in a jar.
5. The oil can be used up to 2 months, make sure that the spoon you using to spoon out the oil/ paste is dry.

Optional: add some Sichuan pepper to the oil mixture, when adding in the ginger and garlic and you will have a mala chili oil and paste. Other ingredients you can mix into the flakes are: fermented black beans, raw sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, etc. In the winter I tend to make heavier seasoned oil: so next to the ginger, garlic and leek I am adding dry spices in the oil and remove that at the same time when the garlic is turning golden brown. Spices that you can consider to use are: cinnamon bark, bay leaves and star anise.