Which Indian Recipes Use Gingelly Oil the Most?

Ask a Tamil grandmother which oil she cooks with and the answer is immediate: "nallennai" — gingelly oil. Ask a Telugu home cook the same question and you will hear "nuvvula nune." In Karnataka it is "yellenne." Different names, same oil, same answer.

Gingelly oil — cold-pressed sesame oil — is not just an ingredient in South Indian cooking. It is the flavour foundation. Remove it and the dish becomes something else entirely.

Here are the Indian recipes where gingelly oil is not optional.

1. Ellu Sadam (Sesame Rice)

This Tamil Nadu staple is perhaps the purest expression of gingelly oil in Indian cooking. Cooked rice is tossed with dry-roasted sesame seeds, curry leaves, dried red chillies, and a generous pour of cold-pressed gingelly oil. The oil is added raw — not heated — so every drop of sesamol and sesamin reaches your plate intact.

Ellu sadam is traditionally made during festivals like Makar Sankranti and Pongal, but it is also a common weekday lunch in Tamil households. The ratio is roughly 1 tablespoon of gingelly oil per cup of cooked rice.

2. Kootu (Lentil and Vegetable Curry)

Kootu is a thick, dry-ish curry made with lentils (usually toor dal or chana dal) and vegetables — raw banana, yam, ash gourd, or drumstick. The final tempering — the tadka — is always done in gingelly oil with mustard seeds, urad dal, dried red chilli, and curry leaves.

The gingelly oil tadka is what gives kootu its characteristic depth. Coconut oil or refined oil simply does not produce the same result.

3. Theeyal (Roasted Coconut Curry)

Theeyal is a Kerala dish where the base is made from deeply roasted coconut, tamarind, and spices. The tempering is done in gingelly oil. The combination of roasted coconut and gingelly oil creates a flavour that is simultaneously smoky, nutty, and tangy — one of the most complex flavour profiles in Indian cooking.

Theeyal is made with shallots, prawns, or vegetables depending on the household.

4. Chettinad Curries

Chettinad cuisine from Tamil Nadu is famous for its bold spicing and liberal use of gingelly oil. Dishes like Chettinad chicken curry, Chettinad mutton kuzhambu, and Chettinad prawn masala all use gingelly oil as the primary cooking fat — not just for tadka but for the entire cooking process.

The high oleic acid content of gingelly oil makes it stable enough for the long, slow cooking that Chettinad curries require.

5. Avial (Kerala Mixed Vegetable Curry)

Avial is a Kerala dish made with a mix of vegetables cooked in a coconut and yoghurt gravy. The finishing touch — and the one that makes avial distinctly Keralite — is a drizzle of raw gingelly oil just before serving. This is not cooked into the dish; it is added at the end so the aroma and nutrients are preserved.

6. Pongal (Savoury Rice and Lentil Porridge)

Ven pongal — the savoury version of pongal — is a Tamil breakfast staple made with rice and moong dal, heavily seasoned with black pepper, cumin, ginger, and cashews. The tempering is done in gingelly oil or ghee, and in many households, a combination of both.

7. Murukku and Chakli (Fried Snacks)

Traditional murukku — the spiral rice flour snack — is deep-fried in gingelly oil. The oil's high smoke point (approximately 177 degrees Celsius for cold-pressed) and nutty flavour make it ideal for frying these snacks. Murukku fried in gingelly oil has a distinctly different — and more authentic — flavour than the same snack fried in refined oil.

8. Sesame Chutney (Ellu Chutney)

A simple chutney made by grinding roasted sesame seeds with coconut, green chilli, and tamarind. A teaspoon of gingelly oil is added to the finished chutney for richness and to carry the flavour. This chutney is served with idli, dosa, and rice.

9. Nuvvula Annam (Telugu Sesame Rice)

Similar to ellu sadam but with a slightly different spice profile — this Telugu version uses more dried red chillies and sometimes includes roasted peanuts. Gingelly oil is the only fat used.

10. Til Ladoo and Sesame Sweets

In North India, gingelly oil is used in the preparation of til ladoo — sesame and jaggery balls made during Makar Sankranti. The oil is used to grease the hands and the pan, and sometimes a small amount is added to the mixture itself to bind it.

11. Rajasthani Ker Sangri

This Rajasthani desert dish — made with dried ker berries and sangri beans — is traditionally cooked in gingelly oil. The oil's stability at medium heat and its ability to carry spices makes it well-suited to this slow-cooked pickle-like preparation.

12. Marination for Grilled and Tandoor Dishes

Across South India, gingelly oil is used as a marination base for grilled fish, chicken, and paneer. It penetrates the protein better than heavier oils and adds a subtle nuttiness that complements charred flavours.

Why Gingelly Oil Cannot Be Substituted in These Dishes

The flavour of cold-pressed gingelly oil is not replicable. It comes from the natural sesamol and sesamin compounds — antioxidants that are unique to sesame and that are destroyed by refining. When a recipe calls for gingelly oil, it is calling for that specific flavour profile.

Substituting refined sesame oil gives you a pale imitation. Substituting sunflower or refined groundnut oil gives you a completely different dish.

Choosing the Right Gingelly Oil for Cooking

For tadka and tempering: use cold-pressed gingelly oil — the heat activates the aroma without destroying the nutrients.

For finishing drizzles and raw applications: use cold-pressed gingelly oil at room temperature — this preserves the maximum sesamol and vitamin E.

For deep frying: cold-pressed gingelly oil works at moderate temperatures. For very high-heat deep frying, a more heat-stable oil like mustard or groundnut is a better choice.

The key is always cold-pressed. The difference between cold-pressed and refined gingelly oil is not subtle — it is the difference between a dish that tastes authentic and one that merely resembles it.

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Buy cold-pressed gingelly oil from the manufacturer: Dune Aura makes cold pressed sesame oil in Gurugram — extracted below 45 degrees Celsius, FSSAI certified, pan-India delivery. Also available: cold pressed mustard oil and cold pressed coconut oil.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Indian state uses gingelly oil most in cooking?

Tamil Nadu uses gingelly (sesame) oil most extensively in Indian cooking. It is the default cooking oil for most Tamil Nadu households and is used in everything from daily rice dishes to festival sweets. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana also use it heavily, particularly in rice-based dishes and pickles.

What is gingelly oil called in different Indian languages?

Gingelly oil is called Nalla Ennai in Tamil, Nuvvula Nune in Telugu, Yellenne in Kannada, Til ka Tel in Hindi, and Til Tel in Bengali and Marathi. All refer to cold press sesame oil extracted from Sesamum indicum seeds.

Is gingelly oil the same as toasted sesame oil used in Chinese cooking?

No. Indian gingelly oil is pressed from raw sesame seeds and has a mild, nutty flavour. Chinese toasted sesame oil is made from roasted sesame seeds and has a much stronger, more intense flavour. They are not interchangeable in recipes - Indian gingelly oil is used for cooking while Chinese toasted sesame oil is used only as a finishing condiment.

Can I use gingelly oil for making South Indian pickles?

Yes. Gingelly oil is the traditional base for South Indian pickles (avakaya, gongura, and mixed vegetable pickles). Its natural antioxidants help preserve the pickle and its flavour complements the spices and tamarind used in South Indian pickle recipes.

How much gingelly oil should I use daily for health benefits?

For health benefits, 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) of cold press gingelly oil per day as part of your cooking fat intake is sufficient. This provides meaningful amounts of sesamol, sesamin, Vitamin E, and Omega-6 fatty acids without excessive caloric intake.