Navratri to Diwali: The Complete Cold Pressed Oil Guide for the Festive Season
From Navratri vrat cooking in September to Diwali snacks in October and the first cold nights of November — cold pressed mustard and sesame oil are the oils the festive season was built around. A complete guide to using them through India's most important cooking months.
Why the Festive Season Is Cold Pressed Oil Season
The connection between cold pressed oils and the Indian festive season is not accidental. It is rooted in three things: tradition, climate, and flavour.
Tradition: Navratri fasting food has always been cooked in pure, unrefined fats — ghee, cold pressed mustard oil, cold pressed groundnut oil. The emphasis on purity during the fast extends to the cooking medium. Refined oil, with its chemical processing, is a modern intrusion into a tradition that predates it by millennia.
Climate: October marks the transition from monsoon to winter in North India. The body begins to need warming foods — foods with more fat, more spice, more substance. Cold pressed mustard oil is thermogenic: it generates internal heat, improves circulation, and supports the body's adaptation to cooler temperatures. This is not folk belief. It is the documented effect of the allyl isothiocyanate and erucic acid compounds in mustard oil, which stimulate circulation and produce a warming sensation.
Flavour: Festive food is supposed to taste festive. Cold pressed mustard oil and sesame oil have flavour. Refined oil does not. The mathri your grandmother made tasted different from the mathri you buy at the store — and the oil is a significant part of why.
The Festive Season Calendar: What to Cook and When
Shardiya Navratri (22 September – 1 October 2026)
The cooking context: Nine days of fasting. No grains (except sama rice and kuttu), no legumes, no onion, no garlic, restricted spices. Sendha namak (rock salt) only.
The oil: Cold pressed mustard oil is the traditional fasting fat in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and UP. It is pure, unrefined, and chemical-free — consistent with the spirit of vrat.
Key dishes:
- Aloo jeera — the simplest and most satisfying vrat dish; cold pressed mustard oil's pungency does the work that spices cannot
- Kuttu ki puri — buckwheat flour puris fried in mustard oil; the earthy bitterness of kuttu and the warmth of mustard oil are made for each other
- Sabudana khichdi — tapioca pearls with peanuts and cumin; mustard oil carries the flavour that the neutral sabudana cannot provide on its own
- Singhare ki sabzi — water chestnut curry; the oil's assertiveness balances the vegetable's natural sweetness
Tip: Heat cold pressed mustard oil until it just smokes before adding ingredients. This removes the raw pungency and produces a mellower, rounder flavour — ideal for the relatively simple flavour profiles of vrat cooking.
Dussehra (2 October 2026)
The cooking context: The end of Navratri fasting. The first day of unrestricted cooking. Traditionally a day for celebratory food — often including the first non-vrat meal after nine days.
The oil: This is the day to cook something rich and satisfying. Cold pressed mustard oil is ideal for the first post-fast meal — its warming properties support the digestive system as it transitions back to regular food.
Key dishes:
- Sarson da saag (if you are in Punjab or Haryana) — the season's first batch, made with the new mustard greens
- Aloo paratha with cold pressed mustard oil in the dough and for frying
- Dal makhani or rajma — the first legumes after nine days of fasting
Pre-Diwali Preparation (3–17 October 2026)
The cooking context: Two weeks of snack preparation. Mathri, namkeen, chakli, shakarpara, and sweets are made in advance and stored. This is the most oil-intensive cooking period of the year.
The oils: Cold pressed mustard oil for savoury snacks (mathri, namkeen, sev, shakarpara). Cold pressed sesame oil for chakli, murukku, and til-based sweets.
Key preparations:
- Mathri — make in large batches; keeps 3–4 weeks in an airtight container
- Besan sev and namkeen — fry in cold pressed mustard oil for maximum flavour
- Chakli — use cold pressed sesame oil in the dough and for frying
- Til ke ladoo — cold pressed sesame oil in the binding; roasted sesame seeds throughout
Storage tip: Snacks fried in cold pressed oil keep well because the oil's natural antioxidants (tocopherols and polyphenols) slow oxidation. Refined oil snacks go stale faster because these antioxidants have been removed during processing.
Dhanteras (18 October 2026)
The cooking context: The first day of the Diwali period. Traditionally auspicious for purchasing — including kitchen essentials. Many households stock up on oil, ghee, and dry goods on Dhanteras.
The oil: Stock your cold pressed mustard oil and sesame oil for the Diwali cooking ahead. If you are in Gurgaon, order from Dune Aura for same-day delivery.
Diwali (20 October 2026)
The cooking context: The main event. Snack boxes are assembled and distributed. Sweets are made or purchased. The evening meal is celebratory.
The oils: Everything you have prepared over the previous two weeks comes together. The mathri, the chakli, the namkeen — all made with cold pressed oil, all at their best after a few days of resting.
The Diwali evening meal in North Indian households often includes:
- Puri and aloo sabzi — puris fried in cold pressed mustard oil
- Paneer dishes — cold pressed mustard oil gives paneer gravies a depth that refined oil cannot
- Dal — tempered with cold pressed mustard oil, cumin, and dried red chilli
- Kheer or halwa — made with ghee, but cold pressed sesame oil works beautifully in til halwa
Post-Diwali Winter (November onwards)
The cooking context: The festive season ends, but the cold pressed oil season is just beginning. November through February is when cold pressed mustard oil is most valuable — as a cooking fat, as a warming agent, and as a skin and hair treatment.
The oil: Cold pressed mustard oil is thermogenic. It generates internal heat, supports circulation, and helps the body adapt to cold. This is why it has been the dominant cooking fat in North India's cold-weather states for centuries — not just for flavour, but for function.
Winter kitchen uses:
- Sarson da saag with makki di roti — the definitive North Indian winter dish; cold pressed mustard oil is non-negotiable
- Tadka dals — mustard oil tempering with hing, dried red chilli, and cumin
- Stuffed parathas — cold pressed mustard oil in the dough and for frying
- Gajar ka halwa — some households use cold pressed mustard oil instead of ghee for a more savoury, complex flavour
Winter body care uses:
- Malish (body massage) — warm cold pressed mustard oil applied to the body before bathing; traditional practice for warming the body and improving circulation in winter
- Hair oiling — warm mustard oil applied to the scalp; the allyl isothiocyanate stimulates circulation and promotes hair growth
- Cracked heels — cold pressed mustard oil applied overnight; the natural fatty acids repair and moisturise dry winter skin
The Nutritional Case for Cold Pressed Oil in the Festive Season
Festive cooking involves more oil than everyday cooking. More frying, more rich dishes, more snacks. This makes the quality of the oil more important, not less.
Cold pressed mustard oil contains:
- Omega-3 (ALA): 5–6% — one of the highest among cooking oils
- Omega-6 (LA): 15–16% — giving an Omega-3:6 ratio of approximately 1:2 (ideal range is 1:1 to 1:4)
- Monounsaturated fats (MUFA): 60–65% — primarily oleic and erucic acid
- Natural antioxidants: Tocopherols, polyphenols, glucosinolates
- Smoke point: ~177°C — adequate for all Indian cooking techniques
Cold pressed sesame oil contains:
- Sesamin and sesamolin: Unique lignans with powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
- Omega-6 (LA): 41% — balanced by the lignans' anti-inflammatory action
- Vitamin E: Natural tocopherols
- Smoke point: ~177°C
Both oils, when cold pressed, retain these compounds intact. Refined versions of the same oils have most of these compounds removed during processing.
During a season when you are eating more fried food than usual, cooking in cold pressed oil means you are at least getting the nutritional benefits that the oil naturally contains — rather than consuming a nutritionally empty refined fat.
How Much Cold Pressed Oil Do You Need for the Festive Season?
A rough guide for a household of four:
| Use | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Navratri vrat cooking (9 days) | 500ml cold pressed mustard oil |
| Diwali snack preparation (mathri, namkeen, sev) | 1–1.5 litres cold pressed mustard oil |
| Diwali snack preparation (chakli, til sweets) | 500ml cold pressed sesame oil |
| Diwali evening meal and daily cooking | 500ml cold pressed mustard oil |
| Total festive season | ~2.5 litres mustard oil + 500ml sesame oil |
Stock up before Navratri begins. Running out of oil mid-preparation is a genuine festive-season problem.
Choosing the Right Cold Pressed Oil
Not all cold pressed oil is the same. The term "cold pressed" is not regulated in India, and some products labelled as cold pressed are processed at temperatures well above 45°C.
What to look for:
Colour: Cold pressed mustard oil should be deep golden-yellow to amber. Very pale mustard oil has likely been refined or diluted. Cold pressed sesame oil should be golden to light amber — not the dark brown of toasted sesame oil.
Smell: Cold pressed mustard oil should have a distinctive, assertive pungency — the characteristic sarson ka tel smell. If it smells neutral or faintly oily, it is not genuinely cold pressed. Cold pressed sesame oil should smell nutty and fresh.
Sediment: Genuine cold pressed oil often has a small amount of natural sediment at the bottom of the bottle. This is a sign of minimal processing, not a defect.
FSSAI certification: All edible oils sold in India must be FSSAI certified. Check for the FSSAI licence number on the label.
Source transparency: Know where your oil comes from. Dune Aura cold pressed oils are manufactured at DSS 53, Sector 9A Market, Gurugram — you can visit the facility. The extraction temperature is below 45°C. No chemical solvents. No additives.
Order for the Festive Season
Dune Aura cold pressed mustard oil and cold pressed sesame oil are available online at duneaura.com/shop.
Free same-day delivery across all Gurgaon sectors. Call +91 99995 55242 to order or enquire.
Stock up before Navratri. The festive season deserves the real thing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which cold pressed oil should I stock up on for the festive season from Navratri to Diwali?
Stock cold press mustard oil as your primary cooking oil for the festive season - it handles everything from Navratri vrat cooking to Diwali snack frying. Add cold press groundnut oil for vrat-specific recipes and cold press coconut oil for sweets and South Indian preparations. Ghee is essential for finishing and traditional sweets.
How much cold pressed oil does a family need for the Navratri to Diwali festive season?
A family of four typically uses 3 to 5 litres of cooking oil during the 6-week Navratri to Diwali period due to increased cooking for guests and festival preparations. Buying in advance from producers like Dune Aura ensures you have fresh cold press oil throughout the season without last-minute shortages.
Can I use cold pressed oil for making traditional Diwali mithai?
Cold press coconut oil works well as a ghee substitute in many Diwali mithai recipes including Coconut Ladoo, Modak, and some Barfi varieties. For traditional North Indian mithai like Besan Ladoo, Gajar Halwa, and Kheer, ghee provides the authentic flavour that cold pressed oils cannot fully replicate.
Is it safe to use cold pressed oil for large-scale Diwali cooking?
Yes. Cold press mustard oil is excellent for large-scale Diwali cooking including deep frying batches of Mathri, Namkeen, and Chakli. Its high smoke point (250 degrees Celsius) and natural antioxidants make it stable for sustained frying. Filter and reuse the oil 2 to 3 times to manage costs when cooking in large quantities.
How do I prevent cold pressed oil from going rancid during the festive season?
Store cold press oils in dark glass bottles away from the heat of the kitchen during the festive cooking season. If you are cooking large batches, decant only what you need for each session rather than leaving the full bottle near the stove. Filter used frying oil immediately after cooling and store in a sealed container.
Order Cold Pressed Oil for the Festive Season in Your City
Dune Aura delivers cold pressed mustard, sesame, coconut, and groundnut oils to all major cities — order early for the festive season:
- Cold Pressed Mustard Oil in Gurugram — same-day delivery
- Cold Pressed Mustard Oil — Delhi NCR Hub
- Cold Pressed Mustard Oil in Jaipur
- Cold Pressed Mustard Oil in Kanpur
- Cold Pressed Mustard Oil in Kolkata
- Cold Pressed Mustard Oil in Mumbai
- Cold Pressed Mustard Oil in Hyderabad
- Cold Pressed Sesame Oil in Chennai
- Cold Pressed Sesame Oil — Gurugram Hub
Frequently Asked Questions
Which cold pressed oil is best for Diwali frying? Cold pressed mustard oil is the best choice for deep frying Diwali snacks — mathri, namkeen, chakli, and sev. Its smoke point of 250°C makes it stable for sustained frying, and its natural antioxidants resist oxidation better than refined oils.
How much cold pressed oil should I stock for the festive season? A family cooking for Navratri, Diwali, and Bhai Dooj typically uses 3–5 litres of mustard oil and 1–2 litres of sesame or groundnut oil. Order in advance — Dune Aura offers 5-litre bulk packs at better per-litre value.
Can I use the same cold pressed oil for both sweet and savoury festive dishes? Yes. Cold pressed mustard oil works for savoury dishes (mathri, namkeen, pakora). Cold pressed sesame oil and coconut oil are better for sweets and dishes where a neutral or nutty flavour is preferred.
Dune Aura cold pressed oils are available from ₹150 for 500ml. Delivered pan-India.
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