Groundnut Oil
Verkadalai Ennai
Key strength — a good balance of MUFA and stability, which is why it has been the default cooking oil across much of South India for generations.
Everyday cooking
Frying
Curries
7 of 7 oils shown
Sesame Oil
Nallennai
Key strength — rich in natural antioxidants such as sesamol and sesamin, compounds that also help the oil resist oxidation.
Tempering
Traditional recipes
Pickles
Coconut Oil
Thengai Ennai
Key strength — naturally stable for high-heat cooking, owing to its medium-chain saturated fats.
High heat
Stir frying
Kerala & coastal dishes
Mustard Oil
Kadugu Ennai
Key strength — high in MUFA with a beneficial omega-3 content, and an unmistakable pungency that defines a whole style of Indian cooking.
Indian curries
Pickling
Tempering
Sunflower Oil
Sooriyakanthi Ennai
Key strength — rich in Vitamin E, with both MUFA and PUFA — a light, unassertive oil for cooking that should taste of its ingredients.
Everyday cooking
Light sautéing
Safflower Oil
Kusumba Ennai
Key strength — rich in polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acids. Best used as part of a mix of oils rather than on its own.
Everyday cooking
Gentle heat
Olive Oil
Cold-Pressed
Key strength — rich in MUFA; ideal for lower-heat cooking and for dressings, where its own flavour is the point.
Dressings
Low-heat cooking
Finishing
How to Choose
Match the oil to the heat
The simplest rule in an Indian kitchen: the hotter and longer the cooking, the more stable the oil should be. Everything else is preference.
High heat — deep frying, searing
Reach for coconut oil, or groundnut oil for its stability. Saturated and monounsaturated fats hold up better under sustained heat.
Everyday heat — curries, sabzis
Groundnut, sunflower, safflower or mustard. Rotate between them across the week rather than committing to one — variety is the point.
Gentle heat & raw — dressings, tadka
Olive oil for dressings and low-heat cooking; sesame oil where the aroma is meant to carry the dish. Both lose most of their character if overheated.
A note on claims. These points are aligned with current scientific evidence on
cold-pressed oils. While cold-pressed oils better preserve naturally occurring nutrients and
bioactive compounds compared with heavily refined oils, we avoid making disease prevention or
treatment claims unless supported by approved regulatory evidence.
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