{"title":"Gingelly (Sesame) Oil","description":"\u003cp\u003eGingelly is the South Indian name for sesame oil pressed from raw, untoasted sesame seeds. It is golden and mild with a light nutty note, quite unlike the dark toasted sesame oil used in Chinese and Korean cooking, which is a seasoning and not a frying oil. Tamil cooks call it nallennai, meaning good oil, and Telugu cooks nuvvula nune. It belongs with the cooking oils in our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/oils-and-ghee\"\u003eoils and ghee\u003c\/a\u003e department.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNallennai is used for tempering mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves, for frying vadai and appalam, for the oil drizzled over idli podi, and for preserving pickles such as mango thokku, where it seals the top of the jar. Refined and filtered gingelly is light and clear; wood pressed or chekku gingelly, such as that from \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/rigel\"\u003eRigel\u003c\/a\u003e, is cloudier with a deeper sesame aroma. \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/idhayam\"\u003eIdhayam\u003c\/a\u003e is a long established Tamil name for sesame oil.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMany Tamil homes keep gingelly beside \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/groundnut-oil\"\u003egroundnut oil\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/coconut-oil\"\u003ecoconut oil\u003c\/a\u003e, choosing by dish. Gingelly can be heated for frying, but it has a lower smoke point than refined oils, so medium heat keeps the flavour sweet. For a neutral frying oil, see \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/sunflower-oil\"\u003esunflower oil\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStore gingelly away from light, and always use a dry spoon in a pickle jar topped with it, since a drop of water is enough to spoil the seal.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"ganesh-sesame-oil-750ml","title":"Ganesh Sesame Oil 750ml","description":"\u003cp\u003eGanesh Sesame Oil is golden, mildly nutty and pressed from untoasted seed, and this 750ml bottle is what a South Indian recipe means by nallennai or gingelly oil. It is the golden untoasted kind, so you can fry in the Ganesh as well as drizzle it at the end; the dark toasted oil of Chinese cooking is a different product.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow to use it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is the traditional fat for the tarka in sambar, rasam and puliyodharai. Pour it over a jar of avakkai or lemon pickle to seal and preserve it, mix it into idli podi to eat with idli and dosa, or shallow fry vada and bonda at a moderate heat. Keep it out of strong light and do not refrigerate it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eGood to know\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eSuitable for vegetarians and vegans\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhere sunflower oil stays neutral, this one is meant to be tasted. If the 750ml bottle is too small for how you cook, there is a \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/gingelly-sesame-oil\"\u003e1 litre gingelly oil\u003c\/a\u003e on the same shelf, in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/oils-and-ghee\"\u003eoils and ghee\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ganesh","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54970027934035,"sku":null,"price":4.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1101\/7433\/9411\/files\/ganesh-sesame-oil-750ml-front.png?v=1790222748"},{"product_id":"idhayam-sesame-oil-1l","title":"Idhayam Sesame Oil 1L","description":"\u003cp\u003eIdhayam is the gingelly oil most Tamil kitchens in Britain are actually looking for. It is pressed from sesame seed with a little palm jaggery, the traditional chekku method, and it comes out golden and mildly nutty, nothing like the dark toasted oil used as a seasoning in Chinese cooking. You can cook in this one. One litre, 914g net, packed for the UK and Europe.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow to use it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is the fat for the tarka in sambar, rasam and puliyodharai, and the oil poured over a jar of avakkai or lemon pickle to seal it. Mix it into idli podi, shallow fry vada and bonda at a moderate heat, or use it on skin and hair as a good many households do. Keep it out of strong light and do not refrigerate it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eGood to know\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eProduct of India\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere is an \u003ca href=\"\/products\/idhayam-sesame-oil-500ml\"\u003eIdhayam Sesame Oil 500ml\u003c\/a\u003e if you want to try it first, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/ganesh-sesame-oil-750ml\"\u003eGanesh Sesame Oil 750ml\u003c\/a\u003e for comparison. See all our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/gingelly-sesame-oil\"\u003esesame and gingelly oil\u003c\/a\u003e in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/oils-and-ghee\"\u003eoils and ghee\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Idhayam","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55012513579347,"sku":null,"price":4.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1101\/7433\/9411\/files\/idhayam-sesame-oil-1l-front.png?v=1790172607"},{"product_id":"idhayam-sesame-oil-500ml","title":"Idhayam Sesame Oil 500ml","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe half litre bottle of Idhayam gingelly oil, which is the right size if you are buying nallennai for the first time or only use it for the tarka. Pressed from sesame seed with a little palm jaggery, golden in colour, and mild enough to cook in as well as finish with.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow to use it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eUse it for the tarka in sambar and rasam, for puliyodharai, and poured over a jar of pickle to seal it. It goes into idli podi, and onto the skin before a bath, which is what a fair share of the bottles bought in a Tamil household are for.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eGood to know\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eProduct of India\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"\/products\/idhayam-sesame-oil-1l\"\u003eIdhayam Sesame Oil 1L\u003c\/a\u003e is better value if you cook with it weekly. See all our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/gingelly-sesame-oil\"\u003esesame and gingelly oil\u003c\/a\u003e in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/oils-and-ghee\"\u003eoils and ghee\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Idhayam","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55012513775955,"sku":null,"price":3.29,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1101\/7433\/9411\/files\/idhayam-sesame-oil-500ml-front.png?v=1790172618"},{"product_id":"mathangi-gingelly-oil-750ml","title":"Mathangi Gingelly Oil 750ml","description":"\u003cp\u003eMathangi gingelly oil, 750ml, pressed from sesame seed and sold under the Tamil name most people use for it, nallennai. It is darker and nuttier than a refined oil and meant to be tasted, so South Indian cooks keep it for particular dishes and do not use it as an everyday frying oil.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow to use it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eUse it for the tarka in sambar and rasam, over idli podi, in a vathal kuzhambu, and in pickles where it acts as the preservative as much as the fat. A spoonful stirred through warm rice is a dish in itself. Plenty of Tamil households also use it on the skin and hair before a bath.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eGood to know\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eProduct of India\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor a larger bottle of a similar oil, see the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/idhayam-sesame-oil-1l\"\u003eIdhayam Sesame Oil 1L\u003c\/a\u003e, and the rest of our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/gingelly-sesame-oil\"\u003esesame and gingelly oil\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mathangi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55046889701715,"sku":null,"price":4.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1101\/7433\/9411\/files\/mathangi-gingelly-oil-750ml-front.png?v=1790247697"},{"product_id":"niru-gingelly-oil-375ml","title":"Niru Gingelly Oil 375ml","description":"\u003cp\u003eGingelly oil is what sesame oil is called across South India and Sri Lanka, and this is the unrefined, golden kind that Chinese cooking's dark toasted oil only shares a seed with. Niru press it from sesame seed with a touch of jaggery, which is the traditional Tamil method and what gives it a rounder, slightly sweet edge. In a Tamil, Sri Lankan or Andhra kitchen it is the everyday cooking oil.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow to use it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eUse it for the tempering at the start of a sambar or rasam, for frying vadai, and in pickles, where it both carries the spice and keeps the jar. It is also the oil for an oil bath and for the head massage that goes with it, which is half of what a bottle in a South Indian house is for.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eGood to know\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e99% sesame seeds with 1% jaggery\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNo artificial flavours, preservatives or added colours\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eContains sesame\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduct of India\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor a larger bottle of gingelly oil, there is \u003ca href=\"\/products\/idhayam-sesame-oil-1l\"\u003eIdhayam Sesame Oil 1L\u003c\/a\u003e. See the wider \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/gingelly-sesame-oil\"\u003esesame and gingelly oil\u003c\/a\u003e range, in the \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/oils-and-ghee\"\u003eoils and ghee\u003c\/a\u003e department.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Niru","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55055699083603,"sku":null,"price":3.29,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1101\/7433\/9411\/files\/niru-gingelly-oil-375ml-front.png?v=1790331693"},{"product_id":"rigel-wood-pressed-virgin-sesame-oil-1l","title":"Rigel Wood Pressed Virgin Sesame Oil 1L","description":"\u003cp\u003eRigel press this oil from black sesame seed in Tamil Nadu, in a chekku mill of vaagai wood that turns slowly enough to keep the oil cool. A little palm jaggery goes in with the seed, as it always has in village mills, and nothing is refined out afterwards. The result is a dark amber nallennai with a deep, toasted sesame smell that fills the kitchen the moment it hits a hot pan.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow to use it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is an oil to taste. Temper mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves in it for sambar and kara kuzhambu, rub it over idli podi, or pour a spoonful over hot rice with a little salt. It is the traditional oil for mango and lime pickles, and many Tamil families still use it for an oil bath on Saturday mornings. Keep the heat moderate, as a cold pressed oil smokes sooner than a refined one.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eGood to know\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSesame seeds and palm jaggery only\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eContains sesame; made where groundnut is also pressed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCold pressed and unrefined\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduct of India\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom the same farmers’ collective, try the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/rigel-wood-pressed-virgin-groundnut-oil-1l\"\u003eRigel Wood Pressed Virgin Groundnut Oil 1L\u003c\/a\u003e. For a sesame oil from Tamil Nadu’s best known brand, compare the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/idhayam-sesame-oil-1l\"\u003eIdhayam Sesame Oil 1L\u003c\/a\u003e, or browse all our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/gingelly-sesame-oil\"\u003esesame and gingelly oil\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rigel","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55087107506515,"sku":null,"price":5.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1101\/7433\/9411\/files\/rigel-wood-pressed-virgin-sesame-oil-1l-front.png?v=1790586751"},{"product_id":"shankar-gingelly-oil-750ml","title":"Shankar Gingelly Oil 750ml","description":"\u003cp\u003eShankar’s gingelly oil is pressed from roasted sesame seed, which is what gives it a deeper colour and a nuttier, more toasted smell than an oil from raw seed. Nothing else goes into the bottle. Shankar has been trading since 1987, and this 750ml bottle is its everyday nallennai, imported from India and distributed from west London.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow to use it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe roasted flavour suits a tarka of mustard seed, dried chilli and curry leaves poured over dal, and it is good in ellu sadam, sesame rice, where you want the seed to come through. Use it for vathal kuzhambu, podi and pickles. Heat it gently, and never pour hot oil back into the bottle.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eGood to know\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e100 per cent sesame oil from roasted seed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eContains sesame\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduct of India\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eShankar also pack the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/shankar-raw-organic-extra-virgin-coconut-oil-500ml\"\u003eShankar Raw Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil 500ml\u003c\/a\u003e. For a cold pressed sesame oil, try the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/rigel-wood-pressed-virgin-sesame-oil-1l\"\u003eRigel Wood Pressed Virgin Sesame Oil 1L\u003c\/a\u003e, or see all our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/gingelly-sesame-oil\"\u003esesame and gingelly oil\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shankar","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55087112618323,"sku":null,"price":3.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1101\/7433\/9411\/files\/shankar-gingelly-oil-750ml-front.png?v=1790586771"},{"product_id":"suriyan-pure-gingelly-oil-750ml","title":"Suriyan Pure Gingelly Oil 750ml","description":"\u003cp\u003eSuriyan Pure Gingelly Oil comes from Sri Lanka and is made from sesame seed alone, pressed in the traditional Jaffna method; the back label still shows a bullock turning the wooden mill. The oil is a warm gold with a fresh, nutty smell.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow to use it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eUse it for the tempering in a Jaffna crab curry or a drumstick kuzhambu, to fry the spices for a string hopper sothi, or to finish a plate of kathirikai. It is the oil for home made pickles, and a few drops on hot rice with salt is a meal on a busy night.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eGood to know\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSingle ingredient: sesame seeds\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eContains sesame\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduct of Sri Lanka\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor another Jaffna style oil, compare the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/samayal-gingelly-oil-750ml\"\u003eSamayal Gingelly Oil 750ml\u003c\/a\u003e. From India, the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/idhayam-sesame-oil-500ml\"\u003eIdhayam Sesame Oil 500ml\u003c\/a\u003e is pressed in Tamil Nadu. See the full \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/gingelly-sesame-oil\"\u003esesame and gingelly oil\u003c\/a\u003e range.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Suriyan","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55087121039699,"sku":null,"price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1101\/7433\/9411\/files\/suriyan-pure-gingelly-oil-750ml-front.png?v=1790586840"},{"product_id":"suryaa-gingelly-oil-1l","title":"Suryaa Gingelly Oil 1L","description":"\u003cp\u003eSuryaa Gingelly Oil is pressed in India from sesame seed with one per cent jaggery, the traditional way to temper the bitterness of the seed. It comes in a full litre, in a light plastic bottle that is easier to handle than glass when you are pouring for a big pot. The oil is a mid gold with a clean sesame aroma.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow to use it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is a good everyday sesame oil for South Indian cooking: fry the tempering for sambar and rasam, make puli kuzhambu, or roast vegetables for a poriyal. It also works for shallow frying paniyaram and vadai. Keep it capped and away from the cooker when you are not using it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eGood to know\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e99 per cent sesame seeds, 1 per cent jaggery\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eContains sesame\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduct of India\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom the same range, see the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/suryaa-groundnut-oil-1l\"\u003eSuryaa Groundnut Oil 1L\u003c\/a\u003e. For a cold pressed sesame oil, try the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/rigel-wood-pressed-virgin-sesame-oil-1l\"\u003eRigel Wood Pressed Virgin Sesame Oil 1L\u003c\/a\u003e, or browse our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/gingelly-sesame-oil\"\u003esesame and gingelly oil\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Suryaa","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55087121695059,"sku":null,"price":4.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1101\/7433\/9411\/files\/suryaa-gingelly-oil-1l-front.png?v=1790586853"},{"product_id":"vss-gingelly-oil-750ml","title":"VSS Gingelly Oil 750ml","description":"\u003cp\u003eV.S.S. gingelly oil comes from Anaicoddai on the edge of Jaffna, where V.S. Sundaralingam has been making nallennai since 1975. It is made from sesame seed alone, traditionally prepared, and it has the deep golden colour and full, nutty flavour that Jaffna cooks look for. The bottle is printed in Tamil and English.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow to use it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the oil for a Jaffna kitchen: frying the onions, curry leaves and fenugreek at the start of a kuzhambu, finishing a brinjal or drumstick curry, and making lime or chilli pickle. Pour a spoonful over hot rice with paruppu, or use it for the Saturday oil bath. Keep the heat moderate so the flavour does not scorch.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eGood to know\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSingle ingredient: sesame seeds\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eContains sesame\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTraditionally prepared\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduct of Sri Lanka\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor another Sri Lankan gingelly oil, try the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/suriyan-pure-gingelly-oil-750ml\"\u003eSuriyan Pure Gingelly Oil 750ml\u003c\/a\u003e. See all our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/gingelly-sesame-oil\"\u003esesame and gingelly oil\u003c\/a\u003e in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/oils-and-ghee\"\u003eoils and ghee\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"VSS","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55100537209171,"sku":null,"price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1101\/7433\/9411\/files\/vss-gingelly-oil-750ml-front.png?v=1790678942"}],"url":"https:\/\/chandrastores.co.uk\/collections\/gingelly-sesame-oil.oembed","provider":"Chandra Stores","version":"1.0","type":"link"}