🕰️ History and origin

Rice is a cornerstone crop across Asia, so it makes sense to use it fully. Rice oil is traditionally made from rice bran, the outer layer removed during milling. In practical terms, it became popular anywhere people cook at high temperatures and want an oil that won’t overpower ingredients.

🧪 How it’s made, types and what to expect

Most commonly, rice oil comes from rice bran. In the kitchen, the key points are:

• 🌾 a neutral flavour that lets sauces, meat and vegetables shine
• 🔥 high heat performance for wok cooking, pans and deep frying
• 🫙 a clean profile when you don’t want the oil to “taste like itself”

A simple rule applies. Rice oil is excellent for hot cooking and intense stir frying. For a finishing aroma, people often add a different oil at the end.

Browse the category Oils

👃 Flavour profile

• ✅ light and clean
• ✅ no strong aroma
• ✅ doesn’t get in the way of sauces
• ✅ helps spices and umami seasonings stand out

✅ Tip: If a stir fry ever tastes “like oil”, it’s often because the oil was too aromatic or overheated. Rice oil can help prevent that

🍳 How to use rice oil

🔥 Wok and quick pan cooking

Rice oil is ideal for stir fry. High heat, short time, clean flavour. It pairs perfectly with basics like Soy sauces and Spice

🍜 Noodles and fried rice

For wok noodles at home, rice oil helps keep the taste light and “restaurant style”. It also works well with dishes from Noodles

🍤 Deep frying and crispy dishes

Tempura, spring rolls or crispy tofu. If you want a clean finish without a heavy oil aftertaste, rice oil is a strong option.

🥗 Cold dishes

You can use it in dressings too, but it’s very neutral. If you want extra aroma, add a few drops of sesame oil at the end.

🫶 Everyday note

Rice oil is often chosen mainly for its high heat behaviour and clean taste. Think of it as a practical cooking ingredient. As with any oil, overall quantity and the rest of the meal matter most.

✅ How to choose a good rice oil

• 🔥 for wok and frying, look for a neutral tasting oil
• 🥘 for everyday cooking, a larger “workhorse” bottle makes sense
• 👃 if an oil smells strong, it can overpower food
• 🫙 store it closed and away from light to keep the flavour clean

🛒 Our picks

Alongside rice oil, it’s handy to have one alternative for high heat and one oil for finishing aroma:

• Daily Rice Oil 500 ml a gentle all purpose option for wok, pan and frying
• Golden Turtle Peanut oil 1 l great when you want high heat stir frying
• Oh Aik Guan Sesame oil 150 ml a few drops at the end for classic Asian aroma

🍳 Authentic recipe: Thai Pad Krapow Gai made with rice oil

Pad Krapow is a Thai classic. Fast stir fried chicken with basil, chilli and umami sauces. Rice oil is perfect here because it handles high heat and lets the sauces shine.

Ingredients (2 servings)

• rice oil 2 tbsp
• chicken 300 g
• garlic 3 cloves
• chilli to taste
• soy sauce 1 tbsp
• oyster sauce 1 tbsp
• fish sauce 1 to 2 tsp
• sugar 1 tsp
• jasmine rice to serve
• basil a handful of leaves

Method

1. Cook the rice and prep everything first. Pad Krapow moves fast.
2. Heat rice oil in a pan over high heat.
3. Add chopped garlic and chilli and stir fry briefly until fragrant.
4. Add chicken and stir fry hard so it sears and takes on colour.
5. Stir in soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce and sugar.
6. Finish with basil, toss quickly and turn off the heat.
7. Serve with jasmine rice.

✅ Tip: Don’t overcrowd the pan. Keep the chicken in a single layer so it sears instead of steaming