All-Purpose Chinese Vinaigrette for Cold Vegetable Dishes

For the Seasoning Oil: In a small bowl, cover Sichuan peppercorns, dried chile, bay leaf, and star anise pod with cold water and soak for 5 minutes. Drain well. Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez In a small pot, combine oil, drained spices, scallion, shallot, ginger, and garlic. Set over low heat and cook until the scallions and garlic are gently frying and have turned an amber brown color, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, strain into a heatproof container, and let cool; discard the solids. Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez For the Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sugar, black vinegar, and seasoning oil until sugar is dissolved. The final dressing will not remain emulsified, so mix or shake it just before using. Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez