Nallennai is gingelly oil (sesame oil), kadalai ennai is groundnut oil (peanut oil), thengai ennai is coconut oil and vilakkennai is castor oil. In a Tamil kitchen, kadalai ennai is the everyday cooking and frying oil, nallennai goes into kuzhambu, podi, pickles, oil baths and lamps, thengai ennai is for poriyal and Kerala-style dishes, and vilakkennai is for lamps, not cooking.
If you grew up hearing these names at home but shop on English labels now, or you moved to Chennai and the shopkeeper's words don't match the bottle, this guide puts every common Tamil oil name next to its English name, with what each one is used for.
Tamil oil names in English: the quick table
| Tamil name | English name | Main use in Tamil homes |
|---|---|---|
| Nallennai (நல்லெண்ணெய்), ellu ennai | Gingelly oil, sesame oil, til oil | Kuzhambu tempering, idli podi, pickles, ennai kuliyal, vilakku |
| Kadalai ennai (கடலை எண்ணெய்) | Groundnut oil, peanut oil | Daily cooking, tadka, deep frying (vadai, murukku, bajji) |
| Thengai ennai (தேங்காய் எண்ணெய்) | Coconut oil | Poriyal, avial, Kerala-style cooking, hair oil |
| Vilakkennai (விளக்கெண்ணெய்), amanakku ennai | Castor oil | Lamp oil for vilakku; traditional scalp and eyebrow massage. Not for cooking |
| Kadugu ennai (கடுகு எண்ணெய்) | Mustard oil | Rare in Tamil cooking; common in North and East India |
| Illuppai ennai (இலுப்பை எண்ணெய்) | Mahua oil (iluppai oil) | Traditional temple and lamp oil |
| Vembu ennai / veppa ennai (வேப்ப எண்ணெய்) | Neem oil | External and garden use only. Not for cooking |
| Sooriyagandhi ennai | Sunflower oil | Mostly sold refined, for everyday cooking |
Nallennai: why it is called the "good oil"
Nal ennai literally means "good oil". It is pressed from sesame seeds (ellu), which is why it is also called ellu ennai. In English shops you will see it as gingelly oil or sesame oil. They are the same thing. Gingelly is simply the older Indian-English word for sesame.
One thing to watch: the dark, toasted sesame oil used in Chinese and Korean cooking is made from roasted seeds and tastes very different. Tamil nallennai is pressed from raw seeds, and in the traditional wooden chekku a little karupatti (palm jaggery) is added while pressing. It is golden, not dark brown.
Use it for kuzhambu and vatha kuzhambu tempering, mixing idli podi, pickles, ennai kuliyal on oil-bath day, and lighting the lamp. Our marachekku nallennai comes in 500ml, 1L, 2L and 5L.
Kadalai ennai: the everyday frying oil
Kadalai means groundnut, so kadalai ennai is groundnut oil, also called peanut oil. Before refined sunflower oil arrived, this was the oil most Tamil households cooked and fried in. Wood pressed kadalai ennai has a golden colour and a clear nutty smell. Refined groundnut oil has neither.
Use it for tadka, sambar, poriyal and deep frying vadai, murukku and bajji. See our marachekku groundnut oil.
Thengai ennai: coconut oil for cooking and hair
Thengai is coconut. Thengai ennai is used for cooking in Kanyakumari and Kerala-border kitchens, and as a hair oil almost everywhere in Tamil Nadu. Wood pressed coconut oil smells of fresh coconut and turns solid and white when Chennai mornings get cool in December. That is normal.
Use it for avial, poriyal, kootu and coconut-based snacks. See our wood pressed coconut oil.
Vilakkennai: the lamp oil (castor oil)
Vilakku means lamp, and vilakkennai means lamp oil. It is castor oil, also called amanakku ennai after the castor plant. It is thick and burns slowly, so it was the everyday lamp oil in Tamil homes. It is not a cooking oil. Our vilakkennai 250ml is sold for lamps and traditional external use.
For Karthigai Deepam (24 November this year), many families light agal vilakku with nallennai, vilakkennai, ghee or a deepam oil blend. Our post on which oil to use for your Karthigai Deepam vilakku covers this in detail.
What does "marachekku" or "chekku" mean?
Chekku is the traditional oil press, and maram means wood, so marachekku ennai is wood pressed oil. The seeds are crushed slowly in a wooden press and the oil is filtered and bottled without refining or bleaching. "Cold pressed" on a label usually means a steel expeller press. Our guide to wood pressed vs cold pressed vs refined oil explains the difference, and how to choose wood pressed oil in Chennai gives a six-point checklist.
Which two oils should a Tamil kitchen keep?
Most families get by with two: kadalai ennai for cooking and frying, and nallennai for tempering, podi, pickles and the lamp. Add a small bottle of thengai ennai if you cook Kerala-style dishes. Our groundnut 1L + sesame 1L combo puts the two everyday oils in one parcel at ₹729. All our oils are pressed in Chennai the traditional marachekku way. Browse them in the wood pressed oils collection.
Frequently asked questions
What is nallennai in English?
Nallennai is gingelly oil, also called sesame oil or til oil. It is pressed from sesame seeds (ellu).
Is gingelly oil the same as sesame oil?
Yes. Gingelly oil and sesame oil are two English names for the same oil. Tamil nallennai is pressed from raw seeds, so it is lighter than the dark toasted sesame oil used in Chinese cooking.
What is kadalai ennai in English?
Kadalai ennai is groundnut oil, also called peanut oil.
What is vilakkennai in English, and can I cook with it?
Vilakkennai is castor oil. It is a lamp oil and is not used for everyday cooking.
Do you deliver these oils outside Chennai?
Yes. We ship from Chennai across India. Chennai orders over ₹500 get free delivery; see Chennai delivery for details.