Ellu Sadam Recipe (South Indian Sesame Rice)
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Ellu means sesame seeds in Tamil. Sadam means rice. Ellu Sadam (Sesame Rice, Til Rice) is a traditional dish from Tamil Nadu made with roasted sesame seeds (ellu), cooked rice, curry leaves, and simple tempering spices.
It is closely associated with South Indian temple cuisine and is commonly prepared during festivals such as Makar Sankranti and Pongal. You can also serve it for a comforting weekday meal with plain yogurt and papad. It is also great for packing school or office lunch boxes. Make it in under 30 minutes using my easy recipe.
Here are more South Indian rice preparations that you may like: Beetroot Curd Rice, Ghee Rice, Indian Black Pepper Rice, and Raw Mango Rice.
A Quick Look At This Ellu Sadam Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Serves: 4
- Cuisine: South Indian / Tamil Nadu
- Course: Main Course
- Diet: Vegetarian, Vegan, Can be easily made Gluten-Free
- Skill Level: Beginner
- Equipment: Pan or Kadai, Mixer Grinder, Spatula
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Why You’ll Love This Family Favorite Recipe!
- Deep nutty flavor: Roasted sesame seeds give this rice a rich, earthy taste that’s unique and comforting.
- No Onion No Garlic, festive friendly
- Authentic Tamil Brahmin style
- Perfect for busy days: Quick to make if you already have cooked rice.
- Great for lunchboxes or travel: Stays good for hours and doesn’t need elaborate sides.
Table of Contents
I didn’t grow up eating much South Indian food, especially rice dishes. I actually discovered the treasure of rice preparations much later, while exploring regional Indian recipes beyond the usual lemon rice and coconut rice that most of us recognize as South Indian classics.
The first time I made ellu sadam, I was amazed by the deep, nutty aroma of roasted sesame seeds and by how simple ingredients could create so much flavor. It felt new, yet comforting. Now, it’s one of those dishes I make when I want something traditional, wholesome, and quietly special.
Ingredients
Rice
- Sona Masuri is the preferred choice for making Ellu Sadam. However, you can use any other white short-grain, nonsticky rice or basmati rice.
Cook the rice beforehand and ensure it is fully cooled before stir-frying. If the rice is not cooled properly, it can become mushy during stir-frying. Day-old cold rice is best for making Ellu Sadam. Cool it thoroughly if you want to make it using freshly cooked rice.
To speed up cooling, spread the freshly cooked rice on a baking tray and cover it with cling wrap. Refrigerate the tray for 30 minutes or freeze it for 15 minutes.
For The Sesame Powder
- Sesame Seeds – You will need hulled or unhulled white sesame seeds to make til rice. Many people prefer black sesame seeds over white; you can give them a try, too. You can also use a mix of white and black seeds.
- Fresh Coconut – Use frozen pre-grated fresh coconut to save time. It is available in the freezer section of any Indian grocery store. Thaw the coconut before using it in the recipe. If fresh coconut is unavailable, you can also use desiccated coconut.
- Asafetida (hing) – Avoid adding asafetida to make it gluten-free.
- Others – You will also need chana dal (Bengal gram lentils), white urad dal (split and skinned black lentils), raw peanuts, and dry red chilies.
For The Tempering
- Oil – Traditionally, it is made using sesame oil (gingelly oil), but you can use sunflower oil, canola oil, coconut oil, or any other oil of your choice.
- Others – You will also need brown mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves.
How To Make Ellu Sadam
Make The Sesame Powder
Step 1: Add the following ingredients to a pan and dry-roast over medium-low heat until browned and fragrant, stirring frequently.
- 3 tablespoon chana dal
- 3 tablespoon white urad dal
- ¼ cup white sesame seeds
- 3 tablespoon raw peanuts
- 5-6 dry red chilies (stalks removed)
- 2 tablespoon grated fresh coconut
Step 2: Remove the pan from the heat and let the roasted ingredients cool completely.
Note – Cooling the ingredients completely is essential; otherwise, they will release oil while grinding.
Step 3: Add the roasted ingredients to a grinder or a food processor along with ¼ teaspoon asafetida and pulse to make a fine powder.
Note: Do not grind in one go; the ingredients may heat up and release oil.
Mix The Rice
Step 4: Transfer 2 ½ cups of cooked, cooled rice to a large mixing bowl.
Step 5: Add the sesame seed powder and 2 teaspoon salt to the bowl and mix well to coat the rice with the powder.
Temper The Rice
Step 6: Heat 3 tablespoon sesame oil in a small pan over medium heat.
Step 7: When the oil is hot, add the following ingredients and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- ½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 10-12 curry leaves
Step 8: Pour the tempering over the rice and mix well.
Step 9: Serve the rice cold or heat it until warm!
Ellu Sadam FAQs
You can replace cooked white rice with cooked brown rice, couscous, quinoa, red rice, or millet.
Bitterness usually happens if sesame seeds are over-roasted. Roast them on low heat just until they start popping and release a nutty aroma. Even a slight burn can make the dish unpleasantly bitter.
Yes. Peanuts are optional and mainly add crunch. You can skip them or substitute with cashews if desired.
Ellu sadam stays good at room temperature for 6–8 hours. You can also refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 2 days. You can also roast and grind the sesame spice mix in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. This makes assembling Ellu Sadam quick and convenient.
Other Tamil Recipes We Recommend
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Ellu Sadam Recipe (South Indian Sesame Rice)
Ingredients
- 2 and ½ cups cooked and cooled rice
- 2 teaspoons salt
To Make Sesame Powder
- 3 tablespoons chana dal (Bengal gram lentil)
- 3 tablespoons white urad dal (split and skinned black gram)
- ¼ cup white sesame seeds (or black sesame seeds)
- 3 tablespoons raw peanuts
- 5-6 whole dry red chilies (stalks removed)
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh coconut
- ¼ teaspoon hing (asafetida) (skip for gluten-free)
For Tempering
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil (gingelly oil)
- ½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 10-12 whole curry leaves
Instructions
Make The Sesame Powder
- Add chana dal, urad dal, sesame seeds, peanuts, red chilies, and coconut to a pan and dry roast over medium-low heat until brown and fragrant, stirring frequently.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let the roasted ingredients cool completely.
- Note – Cooling the ingredients completely is important otherwise they will release oil while grinding.
- Add the roasted ingredients to a grinder or a food processor along with asafetida and pulse to make a fine powder.
- Note – Do not grind in one go as the ingredients may get heated and release oil.
Mix The Rice
- Transfer rice to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the sesame seeds powder and salt to the bowl and mix well to coat the rice with the powder.
Temper The Rice
- Heat oil in a small pan over medium heat.
- When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves, and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- Pour the tempering over the rice and mix well.
- Serve the rice cold or heat it until warm!
Perfectly balanced flavours! My family loved the nutty crunch of sesame in the rice. Made this on Makar Sankranti. Thank you ☺️
Thanks for your kind words Ishanee 🙂