Sesame oil, also known as gingelly oil or til oil, is produced from sesame seeds and was one of the first crops used for oil. The Assyrians used the oil prior to 600BC and added it to food, ointments, and medication - although this was mainly only for the wealthy as it was very expensive.Southeast Asain cuisine uses the oil as a flavor enhancer and was probably introduced into China early in the Christian era, with the first firm evidence of it in China dating from the end of the 5th century AD. The non-roasted sesame oil found in supermarkets is not a good substitute for the sesame oil used in Oriental cooking. As with sesame paste, the difference is that Oriental oil is pressed from toasted sesame seeds. The lighter oil is found in Indian cooking, while Asian countries favor the darker variety.
In India, it is mainly used as a cooking oil. The Tamil language calls sesame oil Nalla Ennai, translating to "good oil". The Telugu language calls it Nuvvula Noone, translating to "cooking oil". The Kannada language refers to it as yellenne from the word yellu for sesame. It is sacred in some Hindi communities and poured into lamps to remove obstacles and difficulties presented in life.
