Gingelly Oil vs Sesame Oil vs Til Ka Tel — Are They the Same? | Gurugram

The Same Plant, Many Names

Sesame (Sesamum indicum) is one of the oldest oilseed crops in the world, cultivated across India for over 4,000 years. Because it has been grown and used across every region of India, it has accumulated a rich vocabulary of regional names:

Language	Name
Hindi	Til ka tel (तिल का तेल)
Tamil	Nalla ennai (நல்லெண்ணெய்)
Telugu	Nuvvula nune (నువ్వుల నూనె)
Kannada	Ellu enne (ಎಳ್ಳೆಣ್ಣೆ)
Malayalam	Elenna (എള്ളെണ്ണ)
Bengali	Til tel (তিল তেল)
Marathi	Til tel (तीळ तेल)
English (South Asia)	Gingelly oil
English (International)	Sesame oil

So gingelly oil = sesame oil = til ka tel = nalla ennai. They are all oil extracted from sesame seeds. The word "gingelly" is an Anglo-Indian term derived from the Portuguese gergelim, which itself came from Arabic juljulan — all referring to sesame.

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Then Why Do They Taste and Look Different?

Here is where it gets interesting. Even though all these oils come from the same plant, they can taste, smell, and look very different depending on:

1. Seed Colour — White vs Black Sesame

White sesame seeds produce a golden, mildly nutty oil. This is what most people mean when they say "sesame oil" or "gingelly oil" in the context of cooking.

Black sesame seeds produce a darker, more intensely flavoured oil with a stronger, earthier aroma. Black sesame oil is used in some regional Indian cuisines and in traditional medicine, but it is less common as a cooking oil.

At Dune Aura, our cold pressed sesame oil is made from premium white sesame seeds — the standard for culinary use.

2. Toasted vs Untoasted Seeds

Untoasted (raw) sesame oil — made from raw sesame seeds — is light golden in colour with a mild, clean nutty flavour. This is what is used in South Indian cooking as the primary cooking fat. It has a smoke point of ~177°C and is suitable for tadka, stir-frying, and medium-heat cooking.

Toasted sesame oil — made from roasted sesame seeds — is dark amber to brown, with an intensely nutty, almost smoky flavour. This is the sesame oil used in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cooking as a finishing oil. It has a very low smoke point and should never be used for cooking — only as a condiment or flavour finisher.

Important: When Indians say "gingelly oil" or "nalla ennai" for cooking, they almost always mean untoasted cold pressed sesame oil. When Chinese recipes call for "sesame oil", they mean toasted sesame oil. These are not interchangeable.

3. Cold Pressed vs Refined

This is the most important distinction for health-conscious buyers:

Cold pressed gingelly/sesame oil — extracted mechanically below 45°C, retains sesamol, sesamin, vitamin E, and the characteristic aroma. This is what Ayurveda and traditional South Indian cooking use.

Refined sesame oil — extracted with hexane solvents, then bleached and deodorised. Higher smoke point, neutral flavour, lower nutritional value. Often labelled simply as "sesame oil" or "cooking sesame oil" on mass-market shelves.

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Regional Cooking Traditions

South India — Gingelly Oil as the Primary Cooking Fat

In Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala, cold pressed gingelly oil (nalla ennai / ellu enne) is the traditional cooking fat — the equivalent of mustard oil in North India. It is used for:

• Tadka — tempering mustard seeds, curry leaves, dried red chillies
• Rice dishes — sesame rice (ellu sadam), tamarind rice (puliyodarai)
• Chutneys — coconut chutney, tomato chutney
• Pickles — avakaya (mango pickle), gongura pickle
• Sweets — til ladoo, sesame chikki, ellu urundai

The flavour of South Indian cooking is inseparable from gingelly oil. A dal tadka made with gingelly oil tastes fundamentally different from one made with sunflower oil — and that difference is considered essential, not optional.

North India — Til Ka Tel for Festivals and Medicine

In North India, sesame oil (til ka tel) is less commonly used as a daily cooking fat — mustard oil dominates. However, sesame oil has an important role in:

• Makar Sankranti — til ladoo and til chikki are the festival's defining foods
• Winter wellness — sesame oil massage for joints and skin in cold months
• Ayurvedic treatments — abhyanga, nasya, oil pulling
• Pickles — some North Indian pickle recipes use sesame oil as the base

West India — Sesame in Rajasthani and Gujarati Cooking

Rajasthani and Gujarati cuisines use sesame seeds extensively in cooking — in chutneys, dry vegetable preparations, and sweets. Sesame oil is used in some traditional preparations, though groundnut oil is more common as the primary cooking fat in these regions.

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Which One Should You Buy?

You want...	Buy this
Everyday South Indian cooking (tadka, rice dishes)	Cold pressed gingelly oil (untoasted)
Ayurvedic massage and skin/hair care	Cold pressed sesame oil (untoasted)
Finishing oil for Indo-Chinese dishes	Toasted sesame oil (small bottle)
Deep frying	Cold pressed mustard oil (higher smoke point)
Maximum health benefits	Cold pressed sesame oil — check that it says "cold pressed" or "kachi ghani"

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How to Identify Genuine Cold Pressed Gingelly Oil

The Indian market is flooded with refined sesame oil sold in packaging that implies it is traditional or natural. Here is how to identify the real thing:

1. Colour — genuine cold pressed sesame oil is golden to light amber. If it is very pale or water-clear, it is likely refined.
2. Aroma — cold pressed sesame oil has a distinct, warm, nutty smell. Refined oil has little to no aroma.
3. Label — look for "cold pressed", "kachi ghani", "wood pressed", or "expeller pressed". Avoid labels that say only "refined" or "filtered".
4. Sediment — cold pressed oils sometimes have a small amount of natural sediment at the bottom. This is normal and a sign of minimal processing.
5. Price — genuine cold pressed sesame oil costs more than refined. If it is very cheap, it is almost certainly refined.

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Dune Aura Cold Pressed Sesame Oil

Our sesame oil is cold pressed from premium white sesame seeds in small batches at our Gurugram facility. No hexane, no bleaching, no deodorising — just pure sesame oil the way it has been made for centuries.

Available in 500ml and 1 litre. Same-day delivery in Gurugram. Pan-India shipping in 3–5 days.

Order at duneaura.com or WhatsApp +91 99995 55242.

Cold Pressed Gingelly Oil in Gurugram — Buy Direct from the Manufacturer

Dune Aura is Gurugram's only cold press oil manufacturer, operating from Sector 9A. If you are searching for gingelly oil in Gurugram, cold pressed sesame oil in Gurugram, or til ka tel near me in Gurgaon — you are in the right place. We press in small batches and deliver same-day across all Gurugram sectors, DLF phases, Sohna Road, Golf Course Road, and Manesar. Pan-India shipping in 3–5 days.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is gingelly oil the same as sesame oil? Yes. Gingelly oil is the Anglo-Indian name for sesame oil. Both come from Sesamum indicum seeds. The terms are interchangeable.

Is nalla ennai cold pressed? Traditional nalla ennai is cold pressed (wood-pressed or expeller-pressed). However, many commercial brands now sell refined sesame oil under the same name. Always check the label for "cold pressed" or "kachi ghani".

Can I use gingelly oil for hair? Yes. Cold pressed gingelly oil is excellent for hair — it deeply conditions the scalp, reduces dandruff, and strengthens hair roots. Warm the oil slightly and massage into the scalp 30 minutes before washing.

What is the difference between sesame oil and toasted sesame oil? Sesame oil (untoasted) is made from raw seeds and is used for cooking. Toasted sesame oil is made from roasted seeds and is used only as a flavour finisher — it burns at cooking temperatures and should not be heated.

Is til ka tel good for cooking? Yes — cold pressed til ka tel is excellent for low to medium heat cooking (tadka, stir-frying, sautéing). For high-heat deep frying, use cold pressed mustard oil instead.

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Buy cold pressed til ka tel direct from the manufacturer: Cold Pressed Sesame Oil Gurugram | Cold Pressed Mustard Oil Gurugram | Shop all cold pressed oils

Order Cold Pressed Sesame Oil (Gingelly / Til Ka Tel) in Your City

• Cold Pressed Sesame Oil in Chennai — nalla ennai for Tamil cooking
• Cold Pressed Sesame Oil in Hyderabad
• Cold Pressed Sesame Oil in Kolkata
• Cold Pressed Sesame Oil in Mumbai
• Cold Pressed Sesame Oil in Jaipur
• Cold Pressed Sesame Oil in Kanpur
• Cold Pressed Sesame Oil in Patna
• Cold Pressed Sesame Oil — Gurugram Hub
• Cold Pressed Sesame Oil — Delhi NCR Hub

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between gingelly oil and sesame oil? There is no difference — gingelly oil, sesame oil, til ka tel, and nalla ennai are all regional names for the same oil pressed from sesame seeds. Cold pressed versions retain the full nutty aroma and nutritional profile.

Is cold pressed sesame oil the same as toasted sesame oil? No. Cold pressed sesame oil is made from raw sesame seeds and has a mild, nutty flavour. Toasted sesame oil is made from roasted seeds and has a much stronger, darker flavour used as a finishing condiment in East Asian cooking. They are not interchangeable.

Which is better for Indian cooking — sesame oil or mustard oil? It depends on the region. Sesame oil (gingelly / nalla ennai) is traditional in South India — Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka. Mustard oil is traditional in North and East India. Both are nutritionally superior to refined vegetable oils.

Dune Aura cold pressed sesame oil from ₹300 for 500ml. FSSAI certified, extracted below 45°C.