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Palm Oil

Palm oil is obtained from the fruit of the oil palm tree and has been used in cooking for thousands of years. It is consumed in more than 100 countries. In some countries, the palm oil is used unrefined, so it gives a reddish color and a unique flavor to the local cuisine.

Many foods we eat every day are made with palm oil, such as cake mixes, instant noodles, cookies, microwave popcorn, potato chips, French fries, and a lot of baked goods. Thanks to its versatility, affordability, and health properties, palm oil is the biggest international traded oil today.

The palm fruit is the source of both palm oil and palm kernel oil. Palm kernel oil is extracted from the fruit seeds. Palm oil contains beta-carotene, giving it a dark yellow or reddish color. It is used for cooking and to make margarine. It is also used to make soaps, personal care products, and washing powders. Around 90% of palm oil is used for food and the other 10% is for non-food uses.

Boiling palm oil for a few minutes makes it colorless because the carotenoids are destroyed. Palm oil is quite high in saturated fats, like coconut oil, making it semi-solid at room temperature.

Red Palm Oil

Red palm oil is produced from the flesh of the palm fruit, whereas palm oil comes from the seeds. Red palm oil can be used in baking, cooking, and food preparation. It is free of trans-fatty acids and cholesterol and contains phytonutrients such as alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene, Vitamin E, and cartenoids. The high level of cartenoids make it red.

Red palm oil has only recently become available in the West, although it has been used for thousands of years in the East as a cooking oil. You can buy red palm oil from supermarkets and health food shops.

Benefits of Palm Oil

Palm oil is easy to digest and convert to energy. It is cholesterol-free and contains beta-carotene, which is an antioxidant. Scientific research has shown that antioxidants play a role in fighting cancer, heart disease and aging.

It also reduces blood clotting so palm oil in the diet is good for thrombosis sufferers. Palm oil contains linoleic acid, which is an important fatty acid for the body. Although palm oil does not contain any trans fats, it is rather high in saturated fats, which is not healthy if consumed in excess.

Recipe - African Fish and Palm Nut Soup

Ingredients -

2 cups palm oil
1 lb fish or crab meat
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup onions, chopped
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 crushed chili pepper
2 cups tomato, chopped
2 cups okra
1 medium eggplant, cut into chunks

Preparation:

Boil the palm oil for 10 minutes in a large, heavy stew pot. Add the chili and onions and keep cooking for 10 minutes over a high heat. Turn the heat down, add the other ingredients, and simmer for at least an hour, until the soup thickens up. Stir every 10 minutes. Serve hot. You can skim the palm oil off the surface of the soup before serving if you want to.

(Serves 4)

Wine Suggestion:

Wine to Serve with African Fish and Palm Nut Soup

Full flavored fish recipes, such as this African fish with palm oil soup, require a full-bodied wine. This rule also applies if you are serving a full-flavored fish like tuna or monkfish. Chardonnay would be a wonderful wine with this recipe.

Delicate flavored fish are better with crisp wines such as a Californian Sauvignon Blanc but stick with the Chardonnay for this one, since the onion, cayenne pepper and vegetables give this African fish soup recipe a real bite and you need something able to stand up to the overall taste. If you are using crab for this soup instead of fish, try a dry Riesling. These two flavors are great together.