Turn Cooking Oil Into

Infused Oil Magic

With These 7 Delicious Ingredients

Whether you are sautéing vegetables or just greasing the pan, a bottle of cooking oil is a kitchen essential that you cannot skip. However, if you like the rich flavour of spices, herbs, and garlic, an infused oil is the perfect way to add a burst of flavour and sometimes colour to a plate of food. Made with pantry staples that possess their own aroma, it can upgrade your everyday olive oil for cooking. 

Garlic oil is perfect for those people who don't like the taste and smell of eating raw garlic. Even if you already add chopped garlic or garlic paste to your food, this oil can enhance the taste even further. A study published on PubMed highlights the benefits of garlic oil, showing that  it is more effective against aerobic bacteria than tulsi oil. You can use it to roast vegetables, as salad dressings, or even in soups.

Basil oil is the best oil for cooking because it adds a remarkable depth of flavour to any vinaigrette. The best time of year to make basil oil is in the summer, when basil is fresh and fragrant. It boasts a vibrant green colour and delivers a concentrated basil flavour, capturing the herb’s sweet, slightly peppery and subtly minty notes. Keep it on hand for finishing chicken or fish dishes; drizzle on grilled veggies or a toasted baguette.

Rosemary, an evergreen, bushy herb with aromatic, needle-like leaves and blue, white, or pink flowers, can be turned into a beautiful rosemary oil through the process of steam distillation. The best part? This golden-coloured oil has the capability to transport you to the Mediterranean region with just a few teaspoons drizzled on your food. By picking some organic rosemary leaves from the market, you can craft a woody, pine-scented oil to add to your favourite roasted meats and potato-based dishes. 

Pick up the lemons and shove that garlic-ginger into the corner; it's time to make fresh space on your kitchen shelf. Hold on, we are making this space for zesty and fresh oil. Lemon oil can add a refreshing touch to seafood dishes, like grilled fish, with just a few drops. Additionally, you can sprinkle a few drops on your baked goods for a zesty taste. This oil won't make a dessert tangy or acidic; juice is ideal for that, but it works as an easy dose of lemon sunshine to flavour cakes, ice cream, and frosting,

If you love the flavour of cool and breezy mint garnished on top of icy cool beverages, then you will surely appreciate  mint oil. After making the concentrated oil with the help of mint leaves and olive oil, you can add its unique note to summer salads. It also pairs well with your favourite cocktails and mocktails, and to elevate the flavour, you can even mix it with some lemon oil.

Don't throw away the extra packets of red chilli flakes that come with pizza; by combining them with ingredients like shallots, garlic cloves, bay leaves, sesame seeds, soy sauce, and vegetable oil, you can make a delicious chilli oil for everyday meals. Having a small batch refrigerated at all times means drizzling it over noodles, adding it to wraps or sandwiches, or even sprucing up a basic portion of fried rice instantly.

Even a fruit can turn vegetable oil into an infused oil to flavour frosting for cookies and cakes or to use in a salad dressing that is sweet and satisfying without being full of fat and high in calories. Do not use the white pithy part, because it will impart a bitter flavour to your oil. Use only the zest. Additionally, it is great to use in the kitchen. It can cut through layers of grease on the stove and remove sticky fingerprints with ease from appliances.