Peanut Oil

Peanut Oil earns its place by patience, not by magic. It is pressed from peanuts, and the refined kind — the one most cooks reach for — stays quiet in a hot wok, shimmering instead of smoking. That is what you are watching for: a shimmer on the surface, a clean smell, and nothing more. The first wisp of smoke is your warning, not a sign to push harder.

Choose it by nose and eye. The roasted, unrefined oil smells warmly of peanuts, maybe a little sweet, and is darker. The refined oil smells of almost nothing, and that is normal — only rancid, stale or paint-like smells mean trouble. Color runs from pale gold to deeper amber, and if it clouds or stiffens in the fridge, do not worry — it clears again once it warms up.

Some people say any oil smokes and turns bitter the moment a wok gets hot. No! Pour this one in, wait for the shimmer, and it will carry real heat without complaint. Believe the misconception, and you will cook timidly, dousing the flame instead of trusting it, and your vegetables will steam instead of sear.

One hundred grams gives you 884 kcal, all of it fat. Treat it with respect, and it will treat your food the same way.