Why Mustard Oil

Mustard oil, commonly known as sarson ka tel, is a vegetable oil extracted from seeds of the mustard plant. Intricately interwoven in the Indian culture, this oil dates back to Roman times, not only as a cooking option but a medicinal one as well. Looking back, mustard was the only cooking oil used in many Indian kitchens. There are many varieties of mustard; they all have very pungent flavors. Some medicinal mustard compounds date back to at least 400 B.C. The name is derived from the Latin, mustum. Other names for mustard are white mustard, yellow mustard, pepper grass, and hedge mustard.