Kitchen Dictionary: Palm oil

Palm oil is a vegetable oil obtained from the fruit of the oil palm tree. It is used as a cooking oil, to make margarine and is in many processed foods. Boiling it for a few minutes destroys the carotenoids and the oil becomes colourless. Palm oil is one of the few vegetable oils relatively high in saturated fats and is semi-solid with a reddish color at room temperature. It is also an important ingredient of many soaps, washing powders and personal care products.

Ethnicity: South East Asia, Central and West Africa, and Cent Ingredient

Season: available year-round