Mustard Oil recognized for its typical strong flavor and pungency is one of the most used medium for cooking in Indian Kitchens. Mustard oil manufacturing is indeed a laborious process. The seeds are crushed primarily and then the oil is passed through a process where impurities are examined and separated accordingly. Mustard oil extraction can produce only 37% oil, and the rest are cakes. Here are some of the techniques through which mustard oil is manufactured.
Cold Pressing Method
Whatever method is used to extract oil, be it through ghani or through machine, mustard oil tastes best if temperatures are maintained rightly. You might have heard that mustard oil extracted through cold pressing, is the best. But what is the reason behind in not known to many. Actually it is the low temperatures keep the pungent flavor intact. And that is what gives it the name Kachi ghani. High temperatures, can destroy the familiar flavor.
Age Old Ghani Process
Oil extracted through Ghani is through cold pressing method. The process ensures that all the essential nutrients intact which are beneficial for health. The best wood used to retain the pungency happens if tamarind wood is used. Brands like Saloni kachi ghani mustard oil use it. The pit used in Bengal is interestingly small and the pestle is tall and has a stout base. The process is too long and it is done so that it permits slow enzymatic liberation of several pungent alkyl isothiocyanates in the warm, moist conditions.
The use of ghani can be traced in the early Sanskrit scripts. Previously the mortar was made using a big stone or wood. If the temperature is increased then the oil will lose its natural contents.
But these days, the single angled piece takes the form of two small pieces that are chained together. The load-beam is attached to the bottom of the lower angled piece; keeping one end of the load-beam is kept outside the barrel, while the other end is yoked to the animal. Heavy stones or even the seated operator are used to weigh down the load-beam. Then the animal moves in a circular ambit and the pestle rotates creating lateral pressure on the upper part of the pit, first pulverizing the oilseed and then crushing out the raw oil.
Electric Power Transaction
Hydraulic presses, power driven screw presses and solvent extraction machines have come up. Different types of power ghani is also used which makes the process mush smoother and easier.
But brands like Engine and Saloni mustard oil has still sticked to the age old process of using kohlus for extracting oil. Saloni has the largest manufacturing facility of mustard oil in India. The prominent brands like these have never compromised in the quality of the product and that is the reason, why they are considered as the best mustard oil brands in Kolkata.