If you grew up in an Indian household, you already know that food cooked in cold-pressed groundnut oil tastes different. Not just better — fundamentally more alive. There is a warmth in the aroma, a richness in the taste, and a depth in the colour that refined oils simply cannot replicate. At Village Masala, we believe that the oil you cook with matters just as much as the spices you add — and that is why we source only the finest cold-pressed groundnut oil, pressed using traditional wooden-expeller methods that have been trusted in Indian kitchens for generations.

What Makes Cold-Pressed Groundnut Oil Different?

Cold-pressed oil is extracted without heat or chemical solvents. The peanuts are crushed slowly at low temperature, which preserves all the natural nutrients, flavour compounds, and antioxidants that are destroyed during the high-temperature refining process. Refined oil goes through bleaching, deodorising, and chemical treatment — stripping away everything that made the raw ingredient valuable in the first place.

Cold-pressed groundnut oil retains its natural Vitamin E, resveratrol, and healthy monounsaturated fats. It has a high smoke point of around 230°C, making it ideal for deep frying, sauteing, and tempering without breaking down into harmful compounds. The taste is rich and nutty — and it elevates every dish you cook, from a simple tadka dal to a full mutton curry.

“Cold-pressed groundnut oil retains up to 3x more Vitamin E than refined oil — and the traditional wooden-press method used in South India ensures zero chemical contact from seed to bottle”

Traditional Indian Cooking Demands Authentic Oil

Indian cooking is built around the relationship between fat and spice. When you add mustard seeds to cold-pressed groundnut oil, the seeds pop differently — fuller, more fragrant. When you fry onions, they caramelise with a natural sweetness that refined oil cannot produce. This is not nostalgia. It is chemistry. The fatty acid profile of cold-pressed oil interacts with spice compounds in a way that enhances bioavailability — meaning your body actually absorbs more of the beneficial compounds from your turmeric, coriander, and cumin.

For the Indian diaspora living abroad, finding authentic cold-pressed oil has been a long-standing challenge. Most supermarkets stock only refined groundnut oil — pale, odourless, and nutritionally hollow. Village Masala ships cold-pressed oils directly from India, ensuring you get the real product that your recipes call for.

At Village Masala, every bottle of oil is sourced from trusted South Indian oil mills — cold-pressed, unrefined, and shipped directly to your door anywhere in the world.

Shop Cold-Pressed Oil at Village Masala

How to Use Groundnut Oil in Your Daily Cooking

Cold-pressed groundnut oil is incredibly versatile. Use it for tempering spices at the start of a dal or sambar. Use it to fry papads, murukku, or banana chips — it handles high heat without smoking excessively. Drizzle it over rice with a pinch of salt for a simple, nostalgic meal. It also works beautifully as a base for marinades for chicken, fish, or paneer before grilling or baking.

For health-conscious cooks, replacing refined vegetable oil with cold-pressed groundnut oil is one of the simplest upgrades you can make in your kitchen. The calorie count is similar, but the nutritional profile and the flavour are in an entirely different league.