What is Sesame Oil called in Tamil?

Sesame oil is called Nallennai (நல்லெண்ணெய்) in Tamil. Nalla means 'good' or 'black' and Ennai means oil.

Is gingelly oil the same as sesame oil?

Yes — gingelly oil and sesame oil are the same product. Gingelly oil is the South Indian English name for cold-pressed sesame oil. Some distinction exists between cold-pressed (gingelly, used for cooking) and toasted sesame oil (darker, used as a finishing oil in Chinese-influenced cooking), but both come from sesame seeds.

Sesame Oil — Complete Guide | Indian Ingredient Encyclopedia

Ingredient identity

Ingredient DNA

Sesame Oil — Til Ka Tel

Sesamum indicum · Family: Pedaliaceae · Genus: Sesamum

Origin

Africa / South Asia — India's oldest oil crop

What Does Sesame Oil Taste Like?

Flavour Profile — Sesame Oil

Nuttiness

★★★★☆

Earthiness

★★☆☆☆

Richness

★★★☆☆

Intensity (toasted)

★★★★☆

Sweetness

★☆☆☆☆

Aroma Strength

★★★★☆

Botanical classification

Kingdom

Plantae

Family

Pedaliaceae

Genus

Sesamum

Species

Sesamum indicum

Hindi Name

Til Ka Tel / Gingelly Oil

Sanskrit Name

Taila (the original 'oil')

English Name

Sesame Oil

Arabic Name

Zayt Simsim

Names across India

Sesame Oil in Every Indian Language

Language	Name	Pronunciation
English	Sesame Oil / Gingelly Oil	SES-ah-mee OYL
Hindi	तिल का तेल — Til Ka Tel	TIL KAH TEL
Bengali	তিলের তেল — Tiler Tel	TIL-er TEL
Tamil	நல்லெண்ணெய் — Nallennai	NAH-len-eye
Telugu	నువ్వుల నూనె — Nuvvula Noone	noo-VOO-lah NOO-neh
Malayalam	എള്ളെണ്ണ — Ellenna	EL-len-nah
Kannada	ಎಳ್ಳೆಣ್ಣೆ — Ellenne	EL-len-eh
Gujarati	તલ નું તેલ — Tal Nu Tel	TAL noo TEL
Marathi	तिळाचे तेल — Tilache Tel	TIL-ah-cheh TEL
Punjabi	ਤਿਲ ਦਾ ਤੇਲ — Til Da Tel	TIL DAH TEL
Urdu	تل کا تیل — Til Ka Tel	TIL KAH TEL
Sanskrit	तैल — Taila	TYE-lah — the original word for oil

Origin and identity

What Is Sesame Oil?

Sesame oil is pressed from sesame seeds (Sesamum indicum). It holds a unique historical position in Indian cooking: the Sanskrit word taila (oil) derives from tila (sesame), indicating that sesame was India's first cultivated oil crop and the original reference point for all pressed oils.

Three forms exist in Indian cooking: cold-pressed (gingelly oil) — golden, mild sesame flavour, used in South Indian cooking; toasted sesame oil — dark brown, intensely nutty, used in small quantities as a finishing oil; and refined sesame oil — neutral, high smoke point. In South India, particularly Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, cold-pressed gingelly oil is the traditional everyday cooking fat.

What Indian Cooking Loses Without Sesame Oil

Tamil Nadu's traditional cooking — pongal, kootu, tamarind rice — uses gingelly oil as the authentic fat that refined oil cannot replicate
Makar Sankranti (the harvest festival) across India uses sesame seeds and sesame oil in ritual foods — tilgul (sesame-jaggery sweet) in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh
Ayurvedic Abhyanga (self-massage) uses sesame oil as the primary therapeutic medium — one of India's most ancient health traditions
The toasted sesame oil finish on certain preparations (particularly Chinese-influenced Indo-Chinese) provides an intensely aromatic note
Pickles and chutneys across South India use sesame oil as both cooking medium and flavour agent

Historical significance

Sesame Oil Through History

Historical Record

India's First Oil Crop

Sesame (Sesamum indicum) has been cultivated in India for at least 5,500 years — seeds have been found at Harappan sites. It is considered one of humanity's oldest oil crops. The Sanskrit word taila comes from tila (sesame), and this linguistic history reflects sesame oil's position as the primordial oil of Indian cooking, predating all other pressed oils.

Ayurvedic medicine has used sesame oil as the primary therapeutic oil for over 3,000 years — in Abhyanga (self-massage), Nasya (nasal therapy), and Kavala (oil pulling). These practices continue in Kerala and across India today. Sesame oil's high linoleic acid content and its natural antioxidants (sesamin and sesamolin) make it one of the most shelf-stable of all vegetable oils.

Explore Indian Food History →

Cooking science

The Science of Sesame Oil

🔬Cooking Science

Sesamin and Sesamolin — Natural Antioxidants

Sesame oil's remarkable shelf stability — it resists rancidity far longer than most vegetable oils — comes from two unique lignans: sesamin and sesamolin. These compounds act as natural antioxidants that protect the oil's polyunsaturated fatty acids from oxidative degradation. Toasted sesame oil has dramatically different flavour compounds from cold-pressed — roasting pyrazines and furans are created during the toasting process, producing the intensely nutty, almost caramelised character of dark sesame oil.

Storage science

How to Store Sesame Oil

Storage Reference

Cold-pressed (gingelly)

6–12 months

Toasted sesame oil

6–12 months

Refined

18–24 months

Buying guide

How to Buy Good Sesame Oil

What to Look For — and What to Avoid

✓ Look For

Gingelly: golden colour, mild sesame aroma
Toasted: dark brown, intensely nutty — a little goes far
From Tamil Nadu producers for authentic gingelly
Sesamolin content means it should not smell rancid even after months

✗ Avoid

Pale colour in gingelly — insufficient pressing quality
No aroma — very old or adulterated
Toasted marketed as cooking oil — not intended for high heat
Very cheap unlabelled sesame oil

Technique

How to Use Sesame Oil Correctly

Using Sesame Oil in the Kitchen

Technique, quantity, and what to avoid

Gingelly (cold-pressed): use as everyday cooking fat in South Indian preparations — not for high heat
Toasted: use as a finishing oil — 1 tsp drizzled over finished dishes, never for cooking
For pickles: cold-pressed sesame oil is traditional in South Indian and Andhra pickles
For Abhyanga: warm sesame oil to body temperature, massage into skin
Quantity: 2–3 tbsp per dish (gingelly); 1/2–1 tsp (toasted, as finishing)

Pairings

What Sesame Oil Pairs Well With

Best Pairings — Sesame Oil

🌿Curry Leaves 🫙Mustard Seeds 🌶Dried Red Chilli 🥜Peanuts 🌿Fenugreek 🍋Tamarind 🫘Urad Dal 🍚Rice 💛Turmeric 🌿Asafoetida

Famous dishes

Dishes That Use Sesame Oil

Key Dishes Using Sesame Oil

Tamarind Rice

Tamil Nadu · Tangy spiced rice

Traditional cooking fat

Pongal

Tamil Nadu · Rice-lentil porridge

Traditional fat

Andhra Pickle (Achar)

Andhra Pradesh · Oil-based pickle

Preserving medium

Sesamum Chutney

South India · Sesame chutney

Primary ingredient

Makar Sankranti Tilgul

Maharashtra · Festival sweet

Sesame seed preparation

Kootu

Tamil Nadu · Vegetable-lentil

Tadka fat

Regional use

Where Sesame Oil Matters Most

Regional Importance

★★★★★

Tamil Nadu

Primary traditional cooking fat

★★★★★

Andhra Pradesh

Everyday cooking and pickles

★★★★★

Karnataka

Traditional cooking fat

★★★★☆

Telangana

Everyday cooking

★★★★☆

Maharashtra

Festival foods (Makar Sankranti)

★★★☆☆

North India

Makar Sankranti tradition and some pickles

Where Sesame Oil Fits in Indian Cooking

South Indian Cuisine	Essential
Tamil Cuisine	Essential
Andhra Cuisine	Essential
Karnataka Cuisine	Essential
Ayurvedic Cooking	Essential
Festival Foods	Essential
North Indian Cuisine	Occasional

Comparison

Cold-Pressed vs Toasted Sesame Oil

Feature	Cold-Pressed (Gingelly)	Toasted Sesame Oil
Colour	Golden	Dark brown
Flavour	Mild sesame	Intensely nutty
Smoke point	177°C	~177°C
Used for	Cooking fat	Finishing oil only
South Indian?	Yes — primary cooking oil	Less common
East/West Asian use	South India	East Asian cooking
Quantity used	Cooking quantities	Drops/teaspoon only

Nutrition

Nutrition and Key Compounds

Sesame Oil — Honest Nutritional Picture

Culinary quantities — aromatic and flavour contribution, not macro nutrition

Sesame oil contains approximately 40% polyunsaturated fat (linoleic acid), 40% monounsaturated fat (oleic acid), and 15% saturated fat. It is rich in sesamin and sesamolin (unique lignans), Vitamin E, and phytosterols. One of the most nutritionally complex of all cooking oils.

Substitutions

Substitutes for Sesame Oil

What Works and What Does Not

Acceptable

Groundnut oil (for South Indian cooking)

Neutral fat that works for cooking but lacks the sesame character.

No substitute

For authentic South Indian preparations

Gingelly oil's flavour is part of tamarind rice, pongal, and kootu's identity.

No substitute

For toasted sesame as finishing oil

The unique roasted pyrazine character of dark sesame oil cannot be replicated.

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Chef's notes

Practical Insight

From the Kitchen

The Sanskrit etymology matters here: taila (oil) from tila (sesame) tells you that sesame was the original, the archetype of all cooking oils in ancient India. Using genuine cold-pressed gingelly oil from Tamil Nadu or Andhra Pradesh for traditional South Indian preparations connects you to one of the oldest continuous culinary traditions in the world.

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