Why Karuppatti Is Added While Pressing Nallennai

Watch a traditional chekku operator pressing nallennai and you will see them add a small quantity of karuppatti (Palm Jaggery) to the sesame seeds as they crush. Customers often ask us why.

It helps the oil separate

When sesame seeds are crushed, the oil is held in a fine, sticky paste of protein and fibre. Jaggery, being hygroscopic, draws moisture and binds these fine particles into a firmer cake. The oil is released more cleanly and comes out clearer with less sediment. In effect, the jaggery is a natural processing aid – the opposite of the chemical solvents used in industrial extraction.

Colour and aroma

A trace of jaggery caramelises very slightly against the warmth of the press, giving karuppatti chekku nallennai its characteristic deep amber colour and a rounder, mellow aroma. The sweetness is barely perceptible in the oil itself, but cooks notice that kuzhambu, pickles and festive dishes taste richer.

Is it in the finished oil?

Very little. Most of the jaggery stays with the oil cake (punnakku), which is sold as nutritious cattle feed. The oil itself carries only trace amounts – which is why our label honestly lists “Sesame seeds, Palm Jaggery” as ingredients.

Karuppatti vs. plain chekku nallennai

Both are pure, cold pressed oils. Choose plain Chekku Nallennai when you want a single-ingredient oil for oil bath, oil pulling and everyday cooking; choose Karuppatti Chekku Nallennai when you want the traditional village-chekku colour and aroma. Many of our regular customers keep both at home.