India is known for its tasty food, especially curries. All the curries have a base of oil or ghee. Each part of India uses a different type of oil. It depends on what is grown most. The north and east of India mostly use mustard oil. Like many of us, we use it for cooking and for massages also.
Mustard is very well known for its medicinal properties. It is anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal. Because of its sticky properties, it heals dry skin and scalp. It also induces the production of melanin, thus treating grey hairs. When used with coconut oil, mustard oil reduces hair fall.
How To Make Mustard Oil:
Mustard oil is normally brought from the market. They come in bottles and tin cans. But many people prefer to make mustard oil at their home. The process of making oil is very simple. It can be done in three easy ways.
- One is by crushing the seeds and extracting the oil.
- Second is by grinding the seeds with water. This mixture is distilled and used.
- The third is another way to make mustard oil by using a carrier oil.
See More: Mustard Oil Health Benefits
Step By Step Way To Make Mustard Oil:
- Dry the mustard seeds. It is necessary to eliminate all the water from the seeds. It is preferred to be Sun-dried as it removes the water completely.
- All the dirt and foreign elements are removed. It is very much required to see that there are no other particles with the seeds to ensure purity.
- Seeds are heated. It is done to increase the yield of oil.
- This heated seed is crushed by machines. This is an hour process. This crushing is followed by pressing. Pressing removes the oil.
- The oil is collected; this oil is filtered to remove any the impurity. This is done carefully to ensure the oil is not impure.
- The oil can be packed in bottle and stored.
This is a very basic process of making mustard oil. This process can be done on a small scale to large scale.
How To Make Mustard Oil At Home (Using Carrier Oil):
- Take a bowl of mustard seeds. Remove all the dirt in it.
- Take one cup of carrier oil. This could be coconut oil, almond oil, etc.
- Bring it to boil in a pan.
- Put the muster seeds in. Let it boil till brown.
- Cool it and store it in a bottle. It would be better to store it in refrigerator.
Additional Tips:
- I would suggest making it small batches. It has small shell life.
- Also, you may want to add some essential oils. This reduces the pungent smell and gives fragrance.
- Normally ready made mustard oil is used. This is a processed type of mustard oil. They pass mustard oil through filters. This type of oil is labelled as refined oil.
- There are many brands of organic mustard oil. Organic mustard oil is made from mustard seeds which are grown without any chemicals. They don’t use chemical fertilizers or pesticides. This is the purest form of oil.
Using any form of mustard oil can be beneficial, although there may be some side effects. That is why it is advised to use with care. You must always use it on elbow before applying it on the body for the massage. You should always consult a doctor before using it on infants and kids. Also, you must read the label well before using it cook because some mustard oils are meant for just massages.
See More: Side Effects Of Mustard Oil
Our ancestors have always preferred to use things made at home. Making mustard oil at home is one of such traditions. Mustard oil is easy to make. It is a quick process too. You may want to try it.
