Oil is the first thing to kiss a pan in most of the dishes so you gotta choose wisely. When it comes to cooking and baking, not all oils are created equal. Some are better for cooking low and slow while some like it screaming hot. Once upon a time, cooking oil in an average kitchen meant vegetable oil. If you wanted to get really fancy, maybe you had some olive oil of undefined quality for salads.
Fast forward a few decades and suddenly you have a shitload of choices. Cooking oils are a combination of all different types of fats. We use them in a wide variety of ways. Don’t get confused though. You don’t need to buy all of them. Using a non-stick pan and trying to stir-fry, grill or bake the ingredients rather than deep-frying it will reduce your need for oil.
You also wanna know if your oil is adding any awesome flavours to your dish. I got you. Here’s a quick oil check to make your engine run smoother. When cooking over low to medium heat your best choices are olive oil, unrefined coconut oil (pure coconut taste) or any of the high heat oils – sesame oil, refined coconut oil (no coconut taste), grapeseed oil, peanut oil and safflower oil. When drizzling, dressing or adding flavour go for extra vergin olive oil, walnut oil or toasted sesame oil. That’s it as far as I’m concerned. Just heat your oils up and get to cooking.