Buying mustard oil for pickles: a simple checklist

Mustard oil is a familiar ingredient in many Indian pickle recipes. Its distinctive aroma is part of the experience, but choosing a bottle should involve more than looking for the strongest smell or the darkest colour. Start with the recipe you plan to follow.

Check that the product is edible mustard oil and read its ingredients and pack instructions. If your family recipe specifies a particular mustard oil variety, look for that variety on the label. Black and yellow mustard oil are named for the seeds used to make them.

Next, work out the quantity you need. Buying a large tin for one small batch may leave you storing more oil than your household normally uses. Check the best-before information and leave enough room in a cool, dark cupboard for the pack.

Use a reliable pickle recipe and follow its preparation and storage steps carefully. Adding mustard oil does not replace those instructions or guarantee a particular shelf life.

Gharana offers black mustard oil in a 1 litre bottle and a 15 kg tin. Choose the pack that fits your recipe and your everyday cooking, rather than buying extra just for the occasion.