The Sydney Morning Herald logo
Advertisement

Can you use olive oil in Asian cooking?

Richard Cornish
Richard Cornish

Extra virgin olive oils have healthy antioxidants such as biphenols, that catch on the back of the throat.
Extra virgin olive oils have healthy antioxidants such as biphenols, that catch on the back of the throat. iStock

​Is it wrong to substitute vegetable or peanut oil with olive oil when cooking Asian dishes? T. Jackson

Walk down the narrow laneways of Spain's Andalusia mid-morning and the air is filled with the delicious aroma of dishes being cooked. Garlic, onion, tomato, thyme, bay all hitting the pans of hot olive oil. Olive oil that is made from arbequina olives. Arbequina has this distinctive, sweet, sexy aroma – the scent of Spanish cuisine, of Spain itself. Use Spanish olive oils in your cooking at home and you can get that authentic taste of Spain in your paella or cocido. If you use Spanish olive oil or a big, robust Aussie olive oil in your kung po chicken or karaage chicken then you could be adding a layer of unintended culinary fusion. Extra virgin olive oils have healthy antioxidants such as biphenols, that catch on the back of the throat. Great with a panzanella but not, perhaps, with Thai fish cakes. In other words big flavoured olive oils will make an Asian dish taste – well, European. Peanut oil has a different texture to olive oil. It is slightly silky and has a nutty roundness and gentle nutty aroma. Vegetable oil is almost completely neutral tasting and a good frying medium. If need be you can use extra virgin olive oils that are described as "light tasting" as they should be bland enough not to add extra flavour.

I had a peach with bitter skin from a farmers' market. What's that about? T. Hall

Plants have evolved the most amazing armoury of weapons to aid their growth and reproduction. Some produce two-part chemicals that remain separate and inert in the plant's cells but if the plant is attacked by animals or insects those chemicals come together to create new compounds that irritate the mouth and hurt the eyes – think onions and garlic. A peach tree's one aim in life is to make more peach trees. The reproductive part is the peach. The kernel contains the seed. To stop the fruit being eaten before the seed is ready, the fruit remains sour, full of acid, to deter it from being eaten. Then, even before that, the skin is full of tannins. These are compounds that taste bitter and feel rough on the tongue and mouth. They are not harmful. In fact tannins are essential to balance in fine wine. Eating a sweet peach, slightly warm and fresh from the tree, with a little tannin in the skin, can be a truly wonderful experience.

Advertisement

Why are parsnips so woody these days? M. King

Parsnips are a winter vegetable and at their best from May to September. A lot of parsnips grown at this time of the year are desperate to reproduce by shooting up a long stem, on top of which forms an attractive umbrella-shaped flower. To support this stem the parsnip hardens its central core – the foundations, if you wish – of the flower stem. If you find parsnips or carrots with tough centres, you know they were harvested shortly before they wanted to flower. This time of year. Wait until the colder months and try mashing a little steamed carrot, butter, sage and horseradish into your parsnip and serve alongside slow roast shoulder of two-tooth lamb.

Send your vexing culinary conundrums to brainfood@richardcornish.com.au or tweet to @realbrainfood.

Richard CornishRichard Cornish writes about food, drinks and producers for Good Food.

From our partners

Advertisement
Advertisement