Bleaching palm oil is a necessary skill to learn if you love having native foods as it is a major method used in preparing meals like Obe ata iru, Ayamase, native rice and a host of other amazing Nigerian meals.
These are necessary tips to bleaching oil safely and properly.
- It is advisable to use clean dry stainless steel or aluminum pot. Never use non-stick pots or enamel pots when bleaching red palm oil.
- Due to its tendency to smoke up and cause discomforts such as coughing, make sure to bleach a tangible amount in order to have leftovers to store up for later use.
- Use low heat when bleaching red palm oil so that it does not get burnt and turn dark when done.
- Be sure to check the quality of your palm oil. It should be a free flowing pure red palm oil as those congealed almost yellow ones contain some water.
- Keep the pot covered while bleaching the Palm oil to prevent a fire accident.
- Bleach palm oil in a well ventilated area, outdoors if possible. Turn on the kitchen extractor and turn off smoke alarm as it is going to get smoky.
- Never leave pot unattended as it can catch fire if overheated. Check it constantly and turn off the heat after about 10 minutes.
- Do allow the oil to cool down a bit before adding the ingredients. It should take about 20 minutes to cool. This will prevent hot splashes of oil and will keep your food from burning due to the high temperatures.