Cold-Pressed Sesame Oil (Nallennai): Complete Indian Guide

Orggu Research Team

Certified organic food specialists · Sources: NIN Hyderabad, ICMR, USDA FoodData Central

Your grandmother called it nallennai. Your aaya called it gingelly. The bottle in the supermarket says “til oil refined.” All three words point to the same seed — but only one of those bottles still carries what makes the oil worth pouring on your food.

This guide pulls together the names across Indian languages, the difference between cold-pressed, refined, and bull-driven extraction, the science on health benefits (with Indian sources where available), the actual smoke-point limits you should respect in the kitchen, and a short trust-test you can run on any bottle in 60 seconds. By the end, you’ll know what to buy, what to cook with it, and what to walk past on the supermarket shelf.

If you already know what you want, our cold-pressed sesame oil is single-origin, mechanically expelled at low temperature, and bottled the same week it’s pressed. If you’d rather understand first, read on.

1. Nallennai, gingelly, til — the same oil across Indian languages

People search for sesame oil in their mother tongue. Brands sell it in English. That gap is half the reason buyers end up with the wrong bottle. Here are the names you’ll see across Indian kitchens:

“Gingelly” is an Anglicised word that came from the Hindi jinjili. “Sesame” comes from the Greek sesamon. Both refer to Sesamum indicum, the same crop your grandmother’s family probably grew in a back-of-the-house plot. The seed comes in two main shades — pale white and black. White seed gives a milder, golden oil; black seed gives a deeper aroma and is the version used in most South Indian kitchens.

2. How cold-pressed sesame oil is made (vs refined)

Three extraction methods are sold in Indian shops today. They all start with the same seed and end up with very different oils.

Cold-pressed (modern expeller). Cleaned seed is fed into a stainless-steel screw press. The press squeezes the oil out mechanically. The press body is jacketed and the operating temperature is held below 50°C. No solvent, no bleaching, no deodorising. The oil that drips out is dark amber, fragrant, and slightly cloudy — that cloudiness is unfiltered seed micro-particles, not a defect.

Bull-driven (marachekku / ghani). A large wooden mortar with a stone or wooden pestle, turned slowly by a bullock walking in a circle. Slower than expeller cold-pressing, even gentler on the seed, and produces tiny daily quantities. Same nutrient profile as cold-pressed; the price reflects the time. We sell both because each has its place — bull-driven sesame oil for finishing and special occasions, cold-pressed sesame oil for everyday cooking.

Refined. Industrial extraction usually starts with a hexane wash to pull oil out of the seed cake at high efficiency. The crude oil is then degummed, neutralised with caustic soda, bleached with clay, and steam-deodorised at 230–250°C. What comes out is colourless, odourless, and shelf-stable for years. It’s also stripped of most of the antioxidants and aroma compounds that made the original seed worth pressing.

3. Health benefits, with the Indian research that backs them

Sesame seed is one of the more thoroughly studied edible seeds in Indian nutrition literature. The benefits below are the ones with the strongest evidence — we’ve skipped the noisier claims.

Cholesterol balance

A study in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine tracked hypertensive adults who substituted sesame oil for their regular cooking oil over 60 days. Total cholesterol and LDL came down meaningfully; HDL held steady. Indian research at the All India Institute of Diabetes has shown comparable directional results when sesame oil is used as a daily kitchen oil rather than a supplement.

Anti-inflammatory action

The active compounds here are sesamin and sesamolin (lignans), and the oxidation-derived sesamol. They blunt several inflammation pathways at the cellular level. In practice this is why traditional Tamil and Kerala medicine systems recommended sesame oil for joint pain.

Bone density

One tablespoon of sesame oil obviously isn’t the calcium source — the whole seed is — but the oil retains the trace amounts of calcium and the lignans that improve calcium retention. Sesame is one of the few cooking oils that contributes to bone health rather than being neutral on it.

Diabetes management

An Indian Council of Medical Research study on Type-2 diabetic patients found that swapping refined oil for cold-pressed sesame oil for 90 days correlated with improved fasting glucose. The mechanism is partly anti-inflammatory and partly the omega-6 to omega-9 balance in sesame oil. Pair it with low-GI grains for a stronger effect — see our guide to millets for diabetes.

Hair and scalp

The Ayurvedic tradition of warming sesame oil and massaging it into the scalp isn’t folklore alone — the oil’s ability to penetrate the hair shaft is well-documented in Indian cosmetic research. Once or twice a week is enough; daily oiling is overkill for most people.

Skin

Used as a winter body oil, sesame holds heat against the skin and is the base oil for most traditional abhyanga massage. It’s heavier than coconut and groundnut, so it works better in cold months and on dry skin types.

4. How to use cold-pressed sesame oil in Indian cooking (and when not to)

Cold-pressed sesame oil shines in three roles: tempering, finishing, and as the base for South Indian rice mixes. It does not belong in a deep-fryer.

Tempering (tadka / thalippu)

Heat the oil till it shimmers but doesn’t smoke. Add mustard seeds, urad dal, dried red chilli, curry leaves — in that order. The aroma the seeds release in cold-pressed sesame oil is noticeably louder than in refined oil. This is the single best argument for cold-pressed in everyday cooking: the oil is also a flavouring agent.

South Indian rice mixes

Puliyodarai (tamarind rice), ellu sadam (sesame rice), bisi bele bath, lemon rice — all of them ask for sesame oil. Refined oil works mechanically; cold-pressed oil makes the dish.

Salads, chutneys, raw drizzles

A teaspoon stirred into hot rice or drizzled over a tomato chutney just before serving lifts the whole plate. Because cold-pressed oil has the flavour intact, even a small quantity registers.

Seven dishes that need cold-pressed sesame oil

5. How to spot pure cold-pressed sesame oil — a 60-second test

Adulteration is real. The cheapest way to fake sesame oil is to dilute refined sunflower or palm with a small splash of sesame for aroma. Five quick tests will catch most fakes.

1. Smell. Real cold-pressed sesame oil smells distinctly nutty — almost like roasted sesame ladoo. Refined or diluted oil smells faint, watery, or vaguely chemical.
2. Cold test (the most reliable). Pour a tablespoon into a small steel bowl and put it in the fridge for 60 minutes. Real sesame oil clouds slightly and gets thicker; diluted oil with palm or refined sunflower may solidify in patches or stay completely clear (palm sets hard, refined sunflower doesn’t change at all).
3. Foam test. Heat a teaspoon in a small pan. Pure cold-pressed sesame oil produces fine, uniform foam at the surface within 30 seconds — the proteins from the unfiltered seed material that survived the press. A perfectly clear, foam-free heating signal usually means heavily refined oil.
4. Label red flags. The words “refined”, “edible-grade”, “winterised”, or “blended with X” mean it isn’t cold-pressed. The phrase “extracted using mechanical pressure” on its own isn’t enough — that can describe expeller-pressed oil that’s then refined. Look for “cold-pressed” explicitly, plus a press date or batch date that’s recent.
5. Price reality. Genuine cold-pressed sesame oil in India almost never sells under ₹500 per litre at the consumer level — sesame seed itself trades around ₹200–250 per kg, and the seed-to-oil yield is roughly 40–45%. Anything advertised as “cold-pressed sesame” under ₹250–300 a litre is statistically very likely to be diluted or mislabelled.

6. Storage and shelf life

Three rules will keep cold-pressed sesame oil at its best for the full window:

• Keep it in glass — the original bottle is fine. Plastic, especially in heat, leaches into oil over months.
• Out of direct sunlight and away from the stove flame. A dark cupboard at room temperature is ideal. The fridge isn’t necessary in most Indian conditions; oil pulled cold from the fridge will be sluggish to pour.
• Use within 6 months of the press date for full flavour. The oil is still safe past that, but the antioxidant load and aroma start to taper.

If you ever notice a sharp, paint-like, or sour odour — that’s rancidity. Discard. Sesame oil rancidity is rare in well-made cold-pressed oil because of its native antioxidants; if it happens, the cause is usually heat, sun, or a press batch that was already old when bought. The reason supermarket refined oil keeps for 18–24 months is that almost nothing flavourful is left to oxidise — that’s a clue, not a feature.

7. Sesame oil vs other Indian cooking oils — a side-by-side

The point of this table isn’t to crown one winner. A well-stocked Indian kitchen rotates oils because each one’s fat profile and smoke-point window is different. Sesame and coconut for South Indian cooking and tempering. Groundnut for frying. Mustard for pickles, fish curries, and Bengali cooking.

For more on this, read our deeper comparison: cold-pressed oil benefits explained, and the refined vs cold-pressed oil breakdown. If you want to see how the bull-driven version differs from machine cold-pressed, see our piece on bull-driven oil (marachekku).

8. Where to buy cold-pressed sesame oil online in India

The cold-pressed oil category online is now full of bottles labelled “wood-pressed”, “ghani”, “chekku”, “kachi ghani”, and a dozen other words that don’t map to any standard. Two practical rules narrow the field:

1. The press date should be on the bottle. Without it, you don’t know if the oil sat in a warehouse for four months. With it, you’re anchored to the 6-month freshness window above.
2. The brand should answer questions about the source seed. Cold-pressed sesame oil’s quality begins at the farm. If the brand can’t name a seed origin, treat the “cold-pressed” claim with caution.

Orggu’s sesame oil is mechanically expelled, single-source, and bottled within the same week it’s pressed. Free delivery in Bangalore; cash-on-delivery available pan-India. Browse the full range on the cold-pressed sesame oil collection — you’ll find both the everyday cold-pressed and the small-batch bull-driven versions there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the questions Orggu customers ask most often. For the basics — what is gingelly oil, is it good for cooking — see our collection FAQ.

Can sesame oil be used for deep frying?

No — cold-pressed sesame oil’s smoke point is around 175–177°C, which is below most deep-frying ranges. Use cold-pressed groundnut oil (~230°C) or refined oil for frying. Reserve sesame oil for tempering, sauteing, and finishing.

What is the smoke point of cold-pressed sesame oil?

Roughly 175–177°C for cold-pressed light sesame oil. Refined sesame oil sits higher (210–215°C) but loses most of the antioxidants and aroma in the refining process. For high-heat cooking, switch oils.

How much sesame oil per day is healthy?

Most Indian and Western nutrition studies on sesame oil’s cardiovascular benefits used 1–2 tablespoons per day, as cooking oil. Going higher doesn’t multiply the benefit and adds calories. Two tablespoons across the day is a sensible upper limit.

Is sesame oil safe for diabetics?

Yes, and it may help. ICMR and Indian-context studies on Type-2 diabetic patients have shown improved fasting glucose when refined cooking oil is replaced with cold-pressed sesame oil for 90 days. Pair it with low-GI grains for a compounding effect — see our guide to millets for diabetes.

Sesame oil for hair — does it really work?

Sesame oil penetrates the hair shaft better than most lighter oils, which is why warm sesame oil scalp massage has lasted in Ayurvedic practice for centuries. Once a week is enough; daily oiling can clog follicles. Warm slightly, massage 5–10 minutes, leave 30 minutes, then wash.

Why does my sesame oil cloud in the fridge?

Cold-pressed sesame oil contains natural waxes and saturated fractions that solidify between 5–7°C. Light cloudiness in a refrigerated bottle is a good sign — it tells you the oil isn’t fully refined or winterised. The oil clears again at room temperature.

Why is real cold-pressed sesame oil more expensive?

Sesame seed itself trades around ₹200–250 per kg in Indian markets, and the seed-to-oil yield is only 40–45%. Cold-pressing produces less oil per kg of seed than chemical extraction. Add bottling, freshness handling, and short shelf life — ₹500–700 per litre is the honest price band.

How do I know if my sesame oil is pure?

Run the cold test: refrigerate a tablespoon for an hour. Real cold-pressed sesame clouds and thickens. Palm-diluted oil sets hard; sunflower-diluted oil stays thin and clear. Combined with the smell test (nutty, not faint) and a recent press date on the bottle, that’s a reliable check.

Is light sesame oil the same as dark sesame oil?

Light sesame oil is pressed from raw white sesame seeds and is mild in flavour — closer to a cooking oil. Dark sesame oil (often labelled toasted sesame oil) is pressed from roasted seeds and is intensely flavoured — used as a finishing oil, especially in East Asian cuisine. South Indian cold-pressed nallennai is typically pressed from raw black or dark seed and sits between the two.

Does cold-pressed sesame oil need to be refrigerated?

Not in normal Indian conditions. A glass bottle in a cool, dark cupboard is enough. Refrigerate only in extreme heat or if the bottle will sit unused for more than 6 months. Pour at room temperature — cold sesame oil is sluggish.

The oil you cook with shapes the food you eat three times a day. A bottle that costs ₹100 more isn’t a luxury — it’s the cheapest health insurance you’ll buy this month.

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