Coconut Oil

Coconut oil, velichenna in Malayalam and thengai ennai in Tamil, is the cooking fat of Kerala, coastal Karnataka and Sri Lanka. It sets solid below about 24 degrees, so in a British kitchen it often looks white and firm in the jar; stand it in warm water for a few minutes and it clears. It is part of our oils and ghee department.

Choose by flavour. Refined or white coconut cooking oil has a mild taste and a higher smoke point, good for frying banana chips, vadai and fish. Virgin and extra virgin coconut oil is pressed from fresh coconut meat without high heat, keeping a sweet coconut aroma that suits thoran, avial and sambol. Organic versions come in both styles, and KTC offers pure and virgin oils side by side.

Coconut oil pairs with gingelly oil in many Sri Lankan and Tamil kitchens, and with ghee for Kerala sweets. For a neutral frying oil, try sunflower oil, and for another regional flavour, mustard oil. Use virgin oil at medium heat, because its delicate aroma fades if it is pushed to smoking.

Coconut oil keeps well, as it resists turning rancid better than most oils. Scoop it with a clean, dry spoon, since water in the jar can spoil it.