Argan oil culinary

Argan oil culinary

An edible oil obtained from the nuts grown on argan trees that is used for cooking and seasoning. Native to southwestern Morocco, the argan tree is not common in any other area of the world, although efforts are underway to grow this variety of tree in other countries. Twisted and gnarled in appearance, this tree has thorny branches that yield a green fruit containing a hard-shelled interior that covers several almond-like nuts. Eaten raw, the nuts have a bitter flavor. When processed into oil, the slower traditional methods of production generally require 20 to 30 hours of work to produce one liter of oil, which results in a product with a high price. After processing, the remaining by-product is a deep brown, thick paste referred to as "amlou", which is similar to tahini or peanut butter and is most often used as a dip or spread that is served over bread, toast, or crackers.
Argan oil is exceptionally rich in natural tocopherols (vitamin E), rich in phenols and phenolic acid, rich in carotenes, rich in squalene, rich in essential fatty acids, 80% unsaturated fatty acids[4][unreliable source?] and depending on extraction method more resistant to oxidation than olive oil.
Argan oil is used for dipping bread, on couscous, salads and similar uses. "Amlou" a thick brown paste with a consistency similar to peanut butter is produced by stone grinding roasted almond and Argan oil and is considered a favorite local bread dip

Argan oil has a golden yellow color with a slight reddish tint and a pleasing nutty aroma. It provides a smooth, roasted nut flavor somewhat similar to hazelnuts, but with a somewhat sharp overtone. It is commonly used as a cooking oil, as a salad dressing when mixed with lemon juice, or as a condiment.