5 Dishes That Demand Groundnut

If mustard oil is the drama queen, groundnut oil is the steady older sibling. High smoke point (230°C), neutral-nutty flavour, and a particular way of making things crisp without greasing them up.

Five dishes we think every kitchen should cook in groundnut oil at least once.

1. Medu Vada

The crispy South Indian urad dal donut. Groundnut oil at 180°C gives you that deep-golden crust without soaking the vada. Trust the temperature, not the timer.

2. Chicken 65

Chettinad-style deep-fried chicken. Groundnut's neutrality lets the red chilli, curry leaves, and garlic do all the talking.

3. Hakka Noodles (Indo-Chinese)

Stir-fries need an oil that can take 240°C without breaking. Groundnut handles it. Olive oil does not. This is why your home-style hakka tastes flat — wrong oil.

4. Gujarati Fafda

Crisp besan strips. Groundnut's subtle nuttiness matches the chickpea flour perfectly. A Gujarati grandmother will clock refined oil in a bite.

5. Bhel Puri Sev

The thin, crunchy gram-flour strings that crown chaat. Groundnut oil at 175°C produces sev that stays crisp for days in an airtight jar.