Bob Hobden wrote:
"Mike Lyle" wrote capstan wrote:

I've investigated the mustard-oil problem, as I believe it may
have a
preservative as well as a flavour effect. It seems (though you
mustn't just take my word for it) that pure mustard seed oil sold
in
Asian shops has to be marked "For external use only" in Europe and
America because it contains something toxic; but this is destroyed
by
heating, so Asian cooks ignore the EC and US warnings, and heat
the
oil till it begins to smoke before using it -- this is what MJ
said
to do in the original recipe.

You wait until you use it for cooking, make sure all the windows
are
open as hot smoking mustard oil equates to Mustard Gas. :-(
We learnt from experience, probably doing the recipe you are
talking
about or one of
Mridula Baljekar's.

If you ever see a copy of Mridula's "Complete Indian Cookbook"
published by Colour Library Books on a second-hand bookstall buy
it.
Arguably better than MJ's books.

Sound advice (I still haven't actually dared to use the bottle of
mustard oil I got in town!). And thanks for the tip about the book,
too: I'll look out for it.

--
Mike.