Why I prefer to cook Indian dishes with mustard oil

One of my favourite ingredients is mustard oil, which is a must in this alur dom recipe.

The qualities of mustard oil shines through in a potato curry called alur dum. Source: Bhavna Kalra

When I was growing up, we had Bengali neighbours who occasionally treated us to food from their kitchen. Every afternoon as I walked home from school and passed their living room window, which faced the main road, I would stand outside their window and inhale the aromas coming from their kitchen. It's one of the fondest memories of food that I have from my childhood and one that I can't forget because of the distinct fragrance of mustard oil. 

Mustard oil is used as a primary cooking fat in the states of West Bengal, Assam, Orissa, Kashmir, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. There's little or no cooking done in mustard oil in Kerala; coconut oil is used instead. Other Indian states use a variety of vegetable and nut oils, including ghee (clarified butter).

Known for its sharp, pungent aroma, you can smell mustard oil before you see it.

Known for its sharp, pungent aroma, you can smell mustard oil before you see it because it contains a sulfur compound called allyl isothiocyanate, which is also found in wasabi and horseradish. Because of this, a whiff of mustard oil can clear your sinuses. It has a strong smell with a slightly bitter tinge, so it's always heated until it reaches smoking point first to tone down its pungency.

Unlike saturated and refined fats, mustard oil is made using the kachi ghani or cold-press process, where mustard seeds are crushed at a very low temperature without using any chemicals or preservatives. This helps retain the natural antioxidants in the oil.

Cooking with mustard oil

Mustard oil can withstand high temperatures and absorbs flavours, which makes it ideal for Indian cooking, including deep frying. It can also finish a dish, as with the famous Bengali dish called posto bata, which is a ground poppyseed paste, spiked with chillies and raw mustard oil.

Eye-wateringly sharp, it can be considered an acquired taste, but everything – including fish, meat, vegetables and lentils – can be cooked in it. Even the world-famous tandoori and butter chicken dishes use it. Most Indian pickles are also made with mustard oil because of its antibacterial properties.

Potatoes are deep fried in spiced mustard oil and cooked in a tomato and yogurt sauce. Source: Bhavna Kalra

One of my favourite recipes is alur dom, which is a Bengali version of curried potatoes. It takes me back to my neighbours' kitchen where I ate many a bowl of alur dom with deep-fried luchi (bread). Baby potatoes are deep-fried in spiced mustard oil then cooked in a light tomato- and yoghurt-based sauce. The potatoes soak up the flavour of the oil and spices, and the tangy sauce is light and delicious.   

Mustard oil is not just an ingredient, it's a part of my happy childhood memories, where we ate many lunches and dinners with this oil. It truly has a special place in my heart and kitchen. 

 

Bhavna Kalra – The Modern Desi Co. is a passionate Indian cook based out of Sydney. Follow her on Instagram: @themoderndesi.co.

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Curried baby potatoes (alur dom)

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 500 g baby potatoes 
• ¾ cup mustard oil
• 2 dried red chillies
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp nigella seeds
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 star anise
• 1 ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 2 green chillies 
• 1 cup yoghurt
• 4 large ripe tomatoes 
• Salt to taste 

Method

1. Boil the baby potatoes with salt until tender. Drain the water and peel them immediately. Then, prick each potato with a toothpick. This will allow the potatoes to soak up the spices and oil. 
2. Blanch the tomatoes in hot water until their skins start to peel slightly. Cool to room temperature and add to a grinder with green chillies, ginger paste and yoghurt. Blend until smooth. It's important to ensure that the yoghurt is at room temperature and that the tomatoes are not hot, else the sauce will split. 
3. Heat mustard oil in a pan until it reaches smoking point. Reduce the heat and add ½ tsp turmeric powder and 1 tsp red chilli powder. Fry the potatoes until they are golden and crispy. Put them aside on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
4. If there's enough oil in the pan, you can reuse it, or you can add 1 tbsp of mustard oil in the pan and heat it again. Reduce the heat and add the dried red chillies, bay leaves, cinnamon, nigella seeds and star anise‍. 
5. Gently pour the tomato and yoghurt mixture, the rest of the chilli and turmeric powder, and salt to taste. Bring it to a rolling boil before adding the potatoes to the sauce.
6. Cook on a low flame for another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and serve hot.