Knowing Oils

Gone are the days when all you had to do was choose between sunflower or olive oil.
Now it seems you can by the oil from just about every plant, nut or seed out there but
should we be adding them to our stir fries or drizzling them over our salads?
Find out with our at a glance guide to NINE of the best.

Best oils to cook with

Top rated - rapeseed oil
Rapeseed oil contains omegas 3, 6 and 9, essential fatty acids so it's great for heart health,
brain health and joint mobility. It is also a rich, natural source of vitamin E — essential for healthy skin
and a strong immune system. High in mono-unsaturated fats and with less than half the cholesterol raising,
saturated fats of olive oil it is one of the few natural oils that can be heated to deep-frying temperature
without its antioxidants, character, colour and flavour spoiling. In short, one of the best oils there is and
what's more — some of the very best rapeseed oils are produced right here in Britain.

Best all rounder - olive oil
Olive oil is a great source of heart protecting, cholesterol lowering, monounsaturated fat as well as
free radical fighting antioxidants known to protect the body against premature aging and cancer.
It can be used to cook with up to temperatures of 180 degrees and is mild enough in flavour to be used
with most dishes. However, extra virgin olive oil (the oil that is extracted from the first press) is not
quite so stable so it is best used cold.

Best for tight budgets - sunflower oil Cheap, easy to find and a great source of the free radical fighting antioxidant - vitamin E.
In fact, just 1-2 tablespoons contains all your daily requirement.
It is also a good source of cholesterol reducing omega 6 polyunsaturates.
However, it contains very few omega 3's so if you use sunflower oil regularly, you need to be sure
you're getting enough omega 3s in your diet from other sources to balance things out.
A chemically stable oil, it is suitable for deep-frying but don't be tempted to re-use the oil
more than a couple of times as re-heating it to high temperatures can result in the formation of
trans fatty acids known to raise cholesterol and increase the incidence of some cancers.

Best for high temperatures - groundnut oilGround nut oil — sometimes called peanut oil has a high smoking point making it ideal roasting,
making Yorkshire puddings or frying. It is an excellent all-rounder and has a very neutral, light flavour
perfect for use in oriental dishes that often combine quite delicate flavours.
Do be careful though as this oil is made from peanuts so anyone with a nut allergy should steer well clear.

Best for adding flavour - sesame oilAnother great source of cholesterol lowering omega 6 fatty acids light sesame oil can be used for deep frying
and the dark or heavy sesame oil (made from roasted sesame seeds) adds a delicious rich flavour to
stir-fried meats or vegetables.
Used a lot in oriental dishes it's rich flavour works as a seasoning in itself.

Best for rice dishes - avocado oilAvocado oil has very little if any omega three fatty acids but it is a great source of monounsaturated fats
and is also rich in skin enhancing vitamin E. It has a slightly nutty flavour that is delicious drizzled over
salads or rice dishes.
However, it can also be used to cook with as it has a higher smoking point than many oils so it's fine to grill,
sauté or stir-fry with it.
Best Oils For Dressing and Dipping.
Top rated - walnut oilA delicious, aromatic, nutty oil that is a good source of omega three fatty acids and tastes delicious
(used as a dip along side a good balsamic vinegar) as a dip for freshly torn, warm breads for warm breads.
It's also great for drizzling over salads and risottos and goes really well with white fish, meat, mozzarella
and goat's cheese. However, this oil tends to become bitter when cooked and can go off very quickly so
buy in small quantities and store in a cool, dark place.

Best for vegetarians - linseed oilLinseed oil is a much richer source of omega 3 than any other oil and a great choice for strict vegetarians
who need to get omega 3 fatty acids solely from plant foods.
Omega three fatty acids help to lower the risk of heart disease and stroke, increase concentration
(particularly in children), alleviate the symptoms of inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis
and they may also help prevent Alzheimer's.
Linseed oil however, is not suitable for cooking as heat can make it taste bitter and it can quickly become
rancid if it is not stored correctly (in a cool dark place).
Studies show that if this happens the benefits are negated and possibly reversed.

Best for drizzling - hazelnut oil
Hazelnut oil is a great source of Vitamin E which helps to maintain a heart health, good skin,
a healthy reproductive system and a strong immune system. Fairly pricey and not so readily available
as many other oils it is worth seeking out either from your local health food store or on line
to drizzle over salads, rice dishes or fresh pasta adding a delicious, subtle, nutty flavour.

SET DOSA

Ingredients

1/4 cup roasted gram dal

1/4 cup grated coconut.

3-4 green chillies

a small piece of tamarind

1 tbsp coriander leaves

salt to taste

For seasoning :

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 pinch of asafoetida

1 tsp urad dal

Method

Soak the urad dal and poha for 4-5 hours. Grind it finely to a paste with water Add rice

flour and salt to the paste and mix well. You can add more water to get the required

consistency.

Store the dough in a large vessel in a warm place for atleast 8 hours for it to ferment well.

Heat tava. Pour a tablespoon of dough on the tava. Do not make it very thin.

Prepare small round dosas of approximately 10 cm diameter with little oil. Cover it and let

it cook for a few minutes. When the dosa is red, turn the dosa and cook on the other side.

Serve a 'set' of 3 dosas topped with butter or ghee and chutney. Grind all the ingredients

for chutney with water. The chutney should be watery.

Seasoning:

Heat oil in a small pan. Add all the ingredients for seasoning. When the mustard seed

splutters, remove the pan from heat and gently pour over chutney. Mix well and serve.

VALUE OF ONIONS

Very Important ....especially for those who love to cook and eat ONIONS!!!!!! ONIONS In 1919 when the flu killed 40 million people there was this Doctor that visited the many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu. Many of the farmers and their family had contracted it and many died. The doctor came upon this one farmer and to his surprise, everyone was very healthy. When the doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home, (probably only two rooms back then). The doctor couldn't believe it and asked if he could have one of the onions and place it under the microscope. She gave him one and when he did this, he did find the flu virus in the onion. It obviously absorbed the bacteria, therefore, keeping the family healthy. Now, I heard this story from my hairdresser in NZ. She said that several years ago many of her employees were coming down with the flu and so were many of her customers. The next year she placed several bowls with onions around in her shop. To her surprise, none of her staff got sick. It must work. (And no, she is not in the onion business.) The moral of the story is, buy some onions and place them in bowls around your home. If you work at a desk, place one or two in your office or under your desk or even on top somewhere. Try it and see what happens. We did it last year and we never got the flu. If this helps you and your loved ones from getting sick, all the better. If you do get the flu, it just might be a mild case. Whatever, what have you to lose? Just a few bucks on onions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now there is a P. S. to this for I sent it to a friend in Oregon who regularly contributes material to me on health issues. She replied with this most interesting experience about onions:

Thanks for the reminder. I don't know about the farmers story...but, I do know that I contacted pneumonia and needless to say I was very ill...I came across an article that said to cut both ends off an onion put one end on a fork and then place the forked end into an empty jar...placing the jar next to the sick patient at night. It said the onion would be black in the morning from the germs... sure enough it happened just like that...the onion was a mess and I began to feel better.

Another thing I read in the article was that onions and garlic placed around the room saved many from the black plague years ago. They have powerful antibacterial, antiseptic properties.

But here is the other important side to remember.

LEFT OVER ONIONS ARE POISONOUS

I have used an onion which has been left in the fridge, and sometimes I don't use a whole one at one time, so save the other half for later.

Now with this info, I have changed my mind.....will buy smaller onions in the future.

I had the wonderful privilege of touring Mullins Food Products, Makers of mayonnaise. Mullins is huge, and is owned by 11 brothers and sisters in the Mullins family. My friend, Jeanne, is the CEO.

Questions about food poisoning came up, and I wanted to share what I learned from a chemist.

The guy who gave us our tour is named Ed. He's one of the brothers Ed is a chemistry expert and is involved in developing most of the sauce formula.. He's even developed sauce formula for McDonald's.

Keep in mind that Ed is a food chemistry whiz. During the tour, someone asked if we really needed to worry about mayonnaise. People are always worried that mayonnaise will spoil. Ed's answer will surprise you. Ed said that all commercially- made Mayo is completely safe.

"It doesn't even have to be refrigerated. No harm in refrigerating it, but it's not really necessary." He explained that the pH in mayonnaise is set at a point that bacteria could not survive in that environment. He then talked about the quaint essential picnic, with the bowl of potato salad
sitting on the table and how everyone blames the mayonnaise when someone gets sick.

Ed says that when food poisoning is reported, the first thing the officials look for is when the 'victim' last ate ONIONS and where those onions came from (in the potato salad?). Ed says it's not the mayonnaise (as long as it's not homemade Mayo) that spoils in the outdoors. It's probably the onions, and if not the onions, it's the POTATOES.

He explained, onions are a huge magnet for bacteria, especially uncooked onions. You should never plan to keep a portion of a sliced onion. He says it's not even safe if you put it in a zip-lock bag and put it in your refrigerator.

It's already contaminated enough just by being cut open and out for a bit, that it can be a danger to you (and doubly watch out for those onions you put in your hotdogs at the baseball park!)

Ed says if you take the leftover onion and cook it like crazy you'll probably be okay, but if you slice that leftover onion and put on your sandwich, you're asking for trouble. Both the onions and the moist potato in a potato salad, will attract and grow bacteria faster than any commercial mayonnaise will even begin to break down.

So, how's that for news? Take it for what you will. I (the author) am going to be very careful about my onions from now on. For some reason, I see a lot of credibility coming from a chemist and a company that produces millions of pounds of mayonnaise every year.'

Also, dogs should never eat onions. Their stomachs cannot metabolize onions .....

Please remember it is dangerous to cut onions and try to use it to cook the next day, it becomes highly poisonous for even a single night and creates Toxic bacteria which may cause Adverse Stomach infections because of excess Bile secretions and even Food poisoning.