Re: [CH] Olive Oil [BARELY ON-TOPIC..okay, probably not on-topic at
Constance Allen (callen@sirius.com)
Thu, 29 Jan 1998 05:05:45 -0800
Regarding peanut oil and Chinese cooking.
I recall reading that peanut oil can cook at a higher heat than other oils
without burning. Therefore, it was good to use when cooking with the high
heat of woks and stir frying.
Perhaps some of the professionals on the list has more information or
experience regarding this.
Constance Allen
San Jose, California
mailto:callen@sirius.com
______________
David Cook wrote:
>
> Inagaddadavida wrote:
>
> > Twas Writ:
> > >Why no olive oil? I thought I read somewhere (it might have been The
> >
> > >Whole Chile Pepper book) that olive oil retained chile's heat and
> > flavor
> > >better than any other oil. I will try to look it up to be sure.
> >
> > Hmmm. Never heard that. Yet my reasons are in part explained by the
> > rest
> > of your post. IMO, olive oil begins to "break up" too easily when
> > heated
> > for a long time as one would have to do to make chile oil; thus, it
> > develops an unpleasant flavor...which is a sin if chiles are in it
> > <g>.
>
> Perhaps a less insidious reason is that olive oil, while wonderful, is
> not suited to a wide range of cusines. It has a distinctive flavor. One
> object in making chile oil is to keep the flavor "pure". I would use a
> peanut or canola based chile oil in Chinese cooking, but wouldn't use an
> olive-based one.
>
> Zeb