Kachi Ghani Mustard Oil Explained

What it actually means

• Kachi ghani means raw crushing, the traditional method of pressing mustard oil using only mechanical pressure, no added heat.
• Historically done with a wooden ghani turned by bullock power, now more commonly a mechanical version of the same slow crushing.
• The lack of added heat is what preserves the oil's natural pungency, colour and the sediment that settles at the bottom of the bottle.
• This is what most cold-pressed mustard oil sold today refers to, whether or not the term kachi ghani appears explicitly on the label.
• Both our black and yellow mustard oils are pressed this way, which is why heating them to a light smoke before cooking still matters.

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Kachi ghani questions

Is kachi ghani the same as cold-pressed?

Effectively yes. Kachi ghani is the traditional name for the same no-heat mechanical pressing that cold-pressed describes.

Does kachi ghani oil cost more than other mustard oil?

Generally yes, since the method extracts less oil per seed and takes longer than higher heat extraction methods.

Is a bullock powered ghani still used today?

Rarely commercially, though the term persists to describe the same slow, low heat crushing principle a mechanical ghani now performs.

Why does kachi ghani oil have visible sediment?

It is typically settled rather than heavily filtered after pressing, so natural sediment from the seed can remain.