Why we pickle in groundnut oil, not refined seed oils

When we say 'no seed oils,' we mean the modern, industrially refined oils that came to dominate shelves for their low price — sunflower, soybean, canola (rapeseed), and palm among them. These are typically extracted at scale and heavily refined, bleached, and deodorised.

Groundnut oil is pressed from peanuts and has been the traditional oil for South Indian and Deccan pickling for generations. It's worth being precise: peanuts are technically legumes, and groundnut oil is the time-honoured pickling medium our recipes are built around — which is exactly why we use it.

Pickling is a craft of preservation and flavour. Groundnut oil brings a mild, pleasant nuttiness that carries spice beautifully without overpowering the vegetable or meat. It has long been favoured in Andhra and Telangana pickling precisely because it lets bold Deccan masalas sing.

It also performs well as a preserving medium — coating the ingredients, sealing out air, and carrying the salt and spice that keep a traditional pickle stable without artificial preservatives.

Beyond sourcing philosophy, there's a simpler reason: it tastes better. A pickle made in a characterful traditional oil has a depth that a neutral, heavily refined oil simply can't give. When the oil is part of the flavour — not just a cheap filler — every bite is richer.

Because we use groundnut oil, all our pickles contain peanut, which is a major allergen. We declare this clearly on every product. If you have a peanut allergy, please don't eat our pickles. Honesty about ingredients is part of the same promise as using better ones.