Fat
Mustard oil
तोरीको तेल
Also called sarson ka tel, tori ko tel, shorsher tel
Oil pressed from mustard seeds, deep yellow and pungent.
Origin
Nepal, Bengal, Bihar and Punjab, where it is the everyday cooking fat.
Flavour
Sharp, nose-tingling and peppery when raw. Heated to smoking it mellows to a nutty, savoury richness.
How to use it
Heat until it just smokes, then let it cool slightly before adding spices; this removes the harshness. Use for tempering dal, frying tarkari and dressing achars. Sold as 'for external use only' in some countries for regulatory reasons; cooking-grade oil is available at South Asian grocers.
Storage
Cool, dark cupboard. Keeps a year.
Recipes using it
Dal bhat tarkari
दाल भात तरकारी
The Nepali daily plate: black lentil dal with a jimbu and ghee temper, steamed rice, and a dry potato and cauliflower tarkari.
Easy
Kukhura ko masu
कुखुराको मासु
Nepali home chicken curry: bone-in pieces cooked in mustard oil with whole spices, onion, tomato and a thin, bold gravy.
EasyMedium heat
Aloo ko achar
आलुको अचार
Nepali potato salad dressed with toasted sesame, lemon, timur and smoked mustard oil. Cold, sour, nutty and a little numbing.
Very easyMedium heat
Paneer tikka
पनीर टिक्का
Cubes of paneer, onion and pepper marinated in thick spiced yoghurt and toasted gram flour, skewered and charred under a very hot grill.
EasyMedium heat
