Gingelly

/ˈdʒɪndʒəli/ noun

Definition

Sesame; the oil-producing tropical plant native to India whose seeds are used for cooking oil, flour, and food garnish.

Etymology

From Hindi 'til' or 'til', influenced by Portuguese and English colonial traders' attempts to write Indian words phonetically. This became one of the most standardized spellings by the 18th century.

Kelly Says

Gingelly oil is a crucial ingredient in Indian cuisine, yet most English speakers don't recognize the word—it's a perfect example of how globalization brings crop names into English that then stay confined to specific communities.

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