Traditional Indian Uses of Til

Where it shows up

• Til laddu, sesame and jaggery rolled into a sweet, a classic winter preparation eaten across much of North India.
• Til chikki, a brittle made from sesame and jaggery, sold widely as a simple traditional snack.
• Tempering, particularly in South Indian cooking, where sesame oil and sometimes the seed itself starts a dish.
• Chutneys, roasted and ground sesame forming the base or a key ingredient in several regional chutney styles.
• Pickling, where sesame oil plays a role similar to mustard oil, contributing flavour and helping the pickle keep.
• Festival sweets beyond laddu and chikki, where sesame appears in regional variations most households recognise instantly.

Our standards

Traditional til questions

Is til laddu made with sesame seed or sesame oil?

The seed itself, roasted and combined with jaggery, not the pressed oil.

Which region is til chikki most associated with?

It is popular across much of North and West India, particularly around winter months.

Is sesame used in pickling the same way as mustard oil?

Similarly, sesame oil contributes flavour and a natural preservative quality, though the two oils taste quite different.

Do all these traditional uses call for roasted sesame?

Most do, since roasting develops the flavour these preparations are built around.