Salteen Ingredient Knowledge Base
Sesame Seeds (Til)
तिल
तिल का लड्डू — मकर संक्रांति की याद। Small seeds with an outsized flavour — and a place in every Indian festival.
Hindi Name
तिल
Type
Other
Origin
Varanasi, UP
Season
Year-Round
Taste
Nutty and Slightly Bitter
Category
The Salteen Story
तिल — छोटा बीज, बड़ा स्वाद। Sesame seeds in laddus, thekua, and namkeen — a Banarasi year-round staple.
In Banaras, til laddus are made in enormous quantities for Makar Sankranti — the January harvest festival when sesame and jaggery are eaten together as a symbol of warmth and sweetness. The combination of roasted til and melted gur is one of the most ancient and beloved sweet preparations in North India.
At Salteen, we use sesame seeds across multiple product categories. White til goes into our laddus and thekua, adding its distinctive nutty crunch and binding beautifully with jaggery and ghee. Black til — more intensely flavoured and slightly more bitter — appears in certain namkeen preparations and specialty laddus.
Til is also one of the most calcium-rich plant foods available — making our til laddus a genuine nutritional powerhouse dressed in the form of a festival sweet.
Til aur gur — sesame and jaggery — is one of those combinations that has survived thousands of years because it is simply perfect. Sweet, nutty, and deeply satisfying.
— Salteen, Banaras Ka SwadTaste Profile
The Flavour of Sesame Seeds (Til)
Why It Matters
Health Benefits
Sesame seeds are one of the most nutrient-dense small seeds available — particularly noted for their extraordinary calcium content.
Calcium Powerhouse
Sesame seeds have one of the highest calcium contents of any plant food — important for bone health, particularly in vegetarian diets.
Heart Health
Rich in sesamin and sesamolin — unique lignans that lower cholesterol and support cardiovascular health.
Vitamin E & Antioxidants
High Vitamin E content supports skin health, immune function, and cellular protection.
Iron & Protein
Good source of plant-based iron and complete amino acids — particularly valuable in vegetarian nutrition.
Note: The above reflects traditional and general nutritional knowledge. Consult a healthcare professional for personal dietary advice.
Farm to Jar
Where It Comes From
🌾 UP Sesame Farms
We source our sesame seeds from farms in the Varanasi region and the broader UP sesame belt. White sesame is selected for its plumpness and high oil content — essential for the rich, toasty flavour that develops when til is roasted in a dry pan before use in laddus and thekua.
In Your Salteen Kitchen
Used In
Sesame seeds appear in Salteen's laddus (particularly til-gur laddu), thekua, and certain namkeen preparations. They also contribute to the oil pressed from the seeds for specialty preparations.
In Brief
White and black sesame seeds from UP farms — roasted and paired with jaggery and ghee in our traditional Banarasi til laddus.
— Salteen Ingredient Description