Cooking oil is the clarified fat yield obtained from plant. It remains in solid form at room temperature and solidifies upon being exposed to cold temperatures. Olive oil, palm oil, soybean oil, canola oil, pumpkin seed oil, corn oil and sunflower oil are examples of cooking oil.
Popular cooking oil recipes include Samosa, French fries, Short Crust Pastry, salad dressings and breads.
History of Cooking oil
Cooking oil has been used since thousands of years by different cultures and people. Over the years they have undergone changes through civilizations and regions. The first large scale manufacture of cooking oil was by an American company called Proctor & Gamble. The product’s name was Crisco. After some years a Canadian scientist developed famous cooking oil called Canola. Nowadays most cooking Oils are made by machines, in mass.
Culinary Uses of Cooking oil
The use of cooking oil is vast and diversified. Cooking food in oil processes the food better giving it different feel and texture. Oil recipes use cooking oil with different methods of cooking including- frying, stir-frying, deep frying, sautéing, greasing, folding and mixing. Cooking oils possess different flavours. Some cooking oils such as olive oil and canola oil have strong while some have mild.
Popular Cooking Oil Recipes
- Samosa-a snack is popular among oil recipes in India made by deep frying rolled and stuffed dough with a spicy stuffing made from potatoes.
- French fries is a favourite among oil recipes where long strands of potatoes are deep fried in cooking oil.
- Short Crust Pastry is a baked food made using cooking oil as one of the ingredients.
- Salad dressings make use of oil such as olive oil in little to moderate quantities in their recipes
- Breadsare made using cooking oil in low quantities.
Cuisines Using Cooking oil
Cooking oil is widely used in almost all cuisines in the world. The Chinese deep frying technique or Chau cuisine is a chiefly employed cooking technique using oil. In Mediterranean and European cuisines oil recipes incorporate oil for frying meats such as fish and for preparing salad dressings. In India oil is used for deep-frying, stir frying, greasing and for tempering dishes.
Preferable Cooking Methods For Cooking oil
Cooking oil is commonly used with frying, stir-frying, deep frying, sautéing, greasing, folding and mixing in oil recipes. However it is better to use less oil in cooking for healthy living.
Nutritive Value of Cooking oil
Cooking oils are a rich source of fat. Fats including polyunsaturated, saturated and unsaturated fats are present in cooking oils. The oils containing poly unsaturated fats are good for health. Groundnut oil, canola oil and olive oil are a few such oils. Oily food is better to be consumed in moderate to fewer quantities as it maintaining low cholesterol levels is good for health.
Cooking oil Storing Tips
Most cooking oils are sensitive to heat, light and contact with oxygen. They tend to get rancid upon any such exposure. Oil must be protected from these sources. Adding vitamin E to oil also prevents oil from spoiling. In general oils must be kept in a cool, dark and dry place. They may also be stored in a refrigerator.