Sign Up for the Recipe Publishing Newsletter
Mustard Oil - The Oil with a Potent Flavor
The term "mustard oil" can be used to describe three different oils from mustard seeds. Pressing the seeds results in a fatty vegetable oil. Another definition of mustard oil is the essential oil you get when the seeds are ground and combined with water and then the mixture is distilled. The third definition of mustard oil is the oil resulting from mustard seeds being infused in soybean oil or another similar oil, which greatly reduces the flavor and odor.
Mustard oil from pressed seeds has a hot, nutty flavor and is used to flavor food in Bangladesh and India. Mustard oil is a key ingredient in Northern Indian fritters. It is the most popular oil in Bengal, although sunflower oil and other neutrally flavored oils are also popular there.
More About Mustard Oil
Mustard oil can be made from brown Indian mustard, white mustard or black mustard. It contains around sixty percent monounsaturated fatty acids. Mustard seeds are cheap, mass produced, and plant-based (so suitable for vegetarians and vegans).
This oil used to be very popular in Northern India as a cooking oil until a few decades ago when mass produced vegetable oils like canola oil became more readily available. Mustard oil is still used in traditional Indian rites however, such as making hair conditioners, pouring over the threshold when an important visitor arrives or to grease musical instruments. It can also be used to repel cats and dogs.
Mustard Oil and Health
Apart from rapeseed and mustard oil, there are not many sources of plant-based omega 3 essential oils in Indian or Western diets. The body can convert omega 3 into aicosapentaenoic acid, which you can get from eating fish, so it is useful for people who do not consume animals or animal products. This oil is believed to offer some protection against heart disease.
Mustard oil is usually heated to just below the smoking point before cooking in India and this might be to reduce the strong flavor and odor. High heat can damage the omega 3 in the oil though. In the West, this oil is often sold in Indian grocery stores and labeled "for external use only" because it is often used for massages in the North of India. This oil, which is antibacterial, is believed to improve skin texture, muscular development, and blood circulation.
This oil was once believed to be unsafe for human consumption in the United States, Canada, and Europe because of the erucic acid in it, following a study on rats. However, rats cannot digest vegetable fats as readily as humans can and no negative health effects from erucic acid have ever been discovered in humans.
Mustard Oil from Distilled Seeds
When you ground mustard seeds with vinegar and water, a chemical reaction takes place and the result is a sharp-tasting essential oil. You can also get synthetic mustard oil, which also has a piquant flavor. Mustard oil from distilled seeds is irritating to the mucous membranes and skin but you can use small amounts for flavoring. "Mostarda" is a Northern Italian condiment made with mustard oil.
It is possible to make recipes with mustard oil but you should only use a tiny bit. When this oil is heated, it gives off a strong gas. If your eyes are sensitive to onions you will probably get the same effect when you heat mustard oil.
