Rann Til / रान तीळ / Wild Sesame / Sesamum indicum L.

Other Names

  • Local Name: Rann Til / रान तीळ
  • Common Name: Wild Sesame
  • Botanical Name: Sesamum indicum L.

Status & Habitat

  • Status: Cultivable
  • Habitat: Herb
  • Occurrence: Adjusts to all environmental conditions.
  • Season of Availability: Late spring-early summer (warmer parts of the year).
  • Geography: Sub-Saharan Africa
  • Method of Propagation: Seed propagation
  • Part used for Propagation: Seeds

Edible Parts

  • Edible Parts: Seeds
  • Can be Eaten Raw: Yes

Method of Consumption

  • Raw: Yes
  • Ripe: N/A
  • Both Raw & Ripe: N/A
  • Dangerous Form to Consume: N/A
  • As Food: Seeds are mostly eaten either raw or roasted.
  • As Medicine: Can be made into a paste and applied to wounds; oil is used to heal mouth ulcers; oil is used for massages and oil pulling.
  • Cooking Without Prior Boiling: Yes
  • Boiling Before Cooking: No
  • Pickling: N/A
  • Brining: N/A
  • Fermenting: N/A
  • Drying for later Consumption: Yes, Seeds
  • Overall Method: Mix roasted seeds with honey or jaggery to make sweets; raw seeds added to tadkas; can be made into laddoo; raw or roasted seeds added to curd and rice.

Nutritional & Medicinal Benefits

  • Nutritional Benefit: Contains vitamin A and riboflavin.
  • Medicinal Benefit: Anti-inflammatory, Diuretic, Digestive tonic

Tribal Wisdom

  • Tribal Wisdom: Can be made into a paste and applied to wounds; oil is used to heal mouth ulcers; oil is used for massages and oil pulling.

Recipes / Usage

  • Tribal Recipe / Usage: Tilgul:
    Dry roast sesame seeds in a heavy-bottomed pan until they change color and become aromatic. In another pan, melt jaggery with ghee until it starts to boil. Reduce the flame, add the roasted sesame seeds, and mix well. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool down slightly. Grease your palms, shape the warm mixture into small laddoos, and store the Tilguls in an airtight container.

Rann Til / रान तीळ / Wild Sesame / Sesamum indicum L.