While there are multiple cooking oils to choose from, one that often takes away the trophy for its versatility and flavor is groundnut oil. Extracted from peanuts, groundnut oil has garnered a global fan following, where many homes and commercial kitchens make use of it and bring delicious food to the table. Let’s take you on a journey as we show you the simple process of transforming groundnuts into what many refer to as liquid gold.
Cultivation and Harvesting
Contrary to the name, peanut is not a nut in the true sense but a legume. It belongs to the same kin as that of beans and lentils. They grow well in warm climates, and their cultivation is a tedious procedure. Farmers plant the seeds with the required fertilizers, allowing the peanut plants to grow. After a few months of growth, the flowers turn to pegs, which gradually go underground, allowing the peanuts to grow and mature. Once the nuts are fully grown, the plants are uprooted, and the nuts are separated from the roots.
Shelling – Removing the Kernels
Once harvested, the groundnuts undergo the process of shelling that involves getting rid of the outer shell to bring out the edible kernels from within. Since most of it is a large-scale harvest, this process is undertaken with the help of machines. Once the peanuts are separated, they are ready for the next step.
Pressing: Extracting the Oil
The process of extraction is one of the major tasks that needs a lot of precision and careful handling. With the help of special machines that are meant to allow oil extraction, the final product(oil) is extracted. The machines are made to put a lot of pressure on the peanuts, thus releasing the oil that they hold. The final result is not just oil but a mixture of protein, oil, and other peanut constituents.
Filtering: Purifying the Oil
To achieve the best groundnut oil in its purest form, the liquid obtained after pressing goes through a filtration process. In this step, the oil goes through a sieve that holds back solid particles, impurities, or any other sediments obtained during the oil extraction process. The result is a clear and filtered form of groundnut oil. After this, the oil receives its natural color and, finally, the right taste.
Refining (Optional)
While some may want to use filtered groundnut oil for cooking while the rest may prefer a refined version of the oil. This is when there is a next step involved, where the oil goes through a finer refining process such as degumming, bleaching, etc., where the proteins, odor, and flavor are removed. This refined oil has a broader usage and is used for multiple culinary tasks both for domestic as well as commercial purposes.
The Magic of Groundnut Oil
While all of these steps are complete, it is packed for suitable usage in kitchens around the world. Right from cooking daily dishes to using it for baking, groundnut oil is termed liquid gold for a reason. Its versatility is what makes it stand out. With its nutty taste, it lends that perfect color to fried foods as well as lends a hint of richness to salad dressings. Ask a seasoned chef about the benefits of groundnut oil, he wouldn’t want to stop praising it.
Beyond the Kitchen
While groundnut oil is known as the king of edible oils and makes cooking splendid, it contributes a lot towards health. As it is rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, groundnut oil helps in good heart health while reducing bad cholesterol levels. Its high vitamin E content makes the skin glow and boosts overall health when consumed regularly.
Conclusion
It isn’t just now that pure groundnut oil has gained popularity; it’s been around in most Indian homes where people have relished their meals due to the rich flavor the oil carries. Even though there is a lot of effort put into growing groundnuts, the end result is something worthwhile. It makes the food taste great while contributing to perfect health and wellbeing.
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