Rapeseed oil

Huile de colza

What it is

The original plant made an oil too high in erucic acid to eat safely, and it was sold as a machine lubricant. Canadian breeders bred that compound out in the 1970s and renamed the result canola — a new food invented by subtraction.

In the kitchen

Buy the cold-pressed version for dressings — it is grassy and bright yellow. The refined one is for heat and nothing else.

Goes with

Mustard Potato White wine vinegar Chives Lemon Black pepper Shallot Dill

Same species

Baek-kimchi Broccoli Brussels sprout Cabbage Cauliflower Cavolo nero

Also used with

Facing-heaven chilli Duo jiao Erjingtiao chilli Termite mushroom (jizong)

Something wrong here, or missing? Tell us