oil and salt

Oil is a lipid extracted or pressed from plant seeds, nuts, fruits, or animal sources, composed primarily of triglycerides. Common culinary oils include olive oil (from olives), canola oil (from rapeseed), coconut oil (from coconut meat), sesame oil (from sesame seeds), and nut oils such as walnut and almond oil. Each oil possesses distinct flavor profiles, smoke points, and nutritional compositions depending on its source and processing method (cold-pressed, refined, or expeller-pressed). Oils range in color from pale yellow to deep amber and vary significantly in taste, from neutral and mild to rich and assertive.

Oils serve as fundamental cooking mediums and flavor carriers in global cuisines. Their chemical composition—particularly the ratio of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats—determines their stability at various temperatures and their health properties. Refined oils are more shelf-stable and suitable for high-heat cooking, while unrefined oils (like extra virgin olive oil) retain more flavor compounds and antioxidants but have lower smoke points.

Oils function as cooking mediums for frying, sautéing, roasting, and deep-frying, with selection determined by smoke point and flavor profile. Neutral oils such as canola, vegetable, and refined coconut oil are preferred for high-temperature cooking and neutral-flavored dishes. Flavorful oils like extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil, and nut oils are used for finishing dishes, dressings, dips, and low-heat applications where their aromatic compounds enhance the final product. Oils also serve as emulsifying agents in vinaigrettes and mayonnaise, mediums for infusing herbs and spices, and carriers for fat-soluble vitamins.