What Is Cold-Pressed Mustard Oil?
Cold-pressing (known as kachi ghani in Hindi) is a traditional extraction method where mustard seeds are slowly crushed at temperatures below 40°C — no heat, no chemicals, no solvents. Just mechanical pressure and patience.
Refined oils, by contrast, undergo solvent extraction using hexane, followed by high-heat deodorisation, bleaching, and degumming — processes that dramatically alter the oil's natural composition.
What Refining Destroys
- Allyl Isothiocyanate (AITC) — the compound responsible for mustard oil's pungency and its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory properties. Refining destroys 70–80% of it.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids — cold-pressed mustard oil has an ideal omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of approximately 2:1. Heat processing degrades omega-3s significantly.
- Natural Vitamin E (Tocopherols) — powerful antioxidants that protect cells and extend the oil's shelf life naturally.
- Glucosinolates — plant compounds with proven cancer-protective properties, present only in unrefined oil.
How to Identify Pure Cold-Pressed Mustard Oil
- Colour: Genuine cold-pressed mustard oil is deep amber to golden-yellow — never pale or transparent.
- Pungency: It should have a sharp, nose-tingling aroma. Refined oil is odourless.
- Label: Look for "kachi ghani" or "cold pressed" — not "refined" or "filtered".
- Sediment: A small amount of natural sediment at the bottom is normal and actually a good sign.
Cold-pressed mustard oil has been used in Indian kitchens for over 5,000 years. The shift to refined oils began only in the 1990s — and chronic disease rates have risen in parallel.
Cooking with Cold-Pressed Mustard Oil
Mustard oil has a smoke point of 250°C — higher than most cooking oils — making it excellent for deep frying, tempering, and high-heat cooking. Its strong flavour mellows beautifully when heated, adding complexity to Bengali fish curries, pickles, and stir-fries.
At AgriShop, our cold-pressed mustard oil is sourced directly from small-scale oil crushers in Rajasthan who have been pressing mustard the traditional way for generations.