· By ODM Masala
Khus Khus vs Til: Poppy Seeds vs Sesame Explained
Khus khus and til are two completely different seeds that only look alike in a jar. Khus khus (white poppy seeds) is mainly a thickener with very little aroma of its own, while til (sesame) is a flavour seed that turns nutty and fragrant the moment it hits a hot pan.
Also known as: khus khus is called poppy seeds in English, and posta dana, posto, khaskhas or gasagase across Indian kitchens. Til is sesame seeds in English, and tili, ellu, nuvvulu or yellu regionally.
How do you tell khus khus and til apart?
Put a pinch of each on your palm and the difference is obvious in a few seconds.
- Size: khus khus is tiny, almost like fine sand. Til seeds are noticeably bigger and flat, shaped like a teardrop.
- Shape: khus khus is round and slightly kidney-like under close light. Til is flat with a pointed end.
- Colour: khus khus is creamy ivory-white. Til ranges from pale gold to light brown (and there is black til too, which no one confuses with khus khus).
- Feel: khus khus feels powdery and slips through the fingers. Til feels smooth and slightly oily.
- Smell: raw khus khus smells of almost nothing. Raw til already has a faint nutty smell that becomes strong on roasting.
Khus khus vs til: the key differences
| Khus khus (posta dana) | Til (sesame) | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job in a dish | Thickening and body | Flavour, crunch and topping |
| Taste | Mild, milky, slightly sweet | Distinctly nutty, becomes stronger roasted |
| Usual form | Soaked and ground to a smooth paste | Dry-roasted whole, or ground coarse |
| Effect on gravy | Turns it thick, pale and silky | Adds nutty depth, very little thickening |
| Oil content | Lower, so it grinds into a fine paste | High, which is why it is pressed for til oil |
| Classic dishes | Aloo posto, korma, rezala, chikki | Til ladoo, chutney, revdi, naan topping |
When should you use khus khus?
Reach for khus khus whenever you want a gravy to feel rich without going dark or heavy. Soak it in warm water for 20-30 minutes, then grind it to a smooth paste with a splash of the soaking water.
- Bengali posto dishes: aloo posto, jhinge posto, posto bora. See our aloo posto recipe for the method.
- White gravies: korma, rezala and shahi curries, where a dark thickener would spoil the pale colour.
- Instead of extra cream: a tablespoon of khus khus paste gives body without dairy. It works alongside ODM Cashews in restaurant-style gravies.
- Sweets: posto bora, khus khus chikki and a light dusting on rolls and buns.
When should you use til?
Til is for flavour you can actually taste. Dry-roast it on a low flame until the seeds start to pop and smell nutty, then use it.
- Winter sweets: til ladoo, gajak, revdi and chikki, especially around Makar Sankranti.
- Chutneys and podi: roasted til ground with dry chilli and salt.
- Toppings: sprinkled on naan, kulcha, salads and stir-fries for crunch.
- Tempering: a South Indian and Maharashtrian favourite, often with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
Can you use til instead of khus khus?
Not as a straight swap. Til will thicken far less and will push a strong nutty flavour into a dish that is supposed to taste mild and creamy, so a posto or a korma made with til simply tastes like a different curry. If you have run out of khus khus, soaked cashews or melon seeds (magaz) are closer substitutes for thickening. Going the other way is worse: khus khus cannot stand in for til, because it brings almost no flavour of its own to a ladoo or a chutney.
How should you store them?
Both seeds carry natural oils, so they go stale rather than mouldy. Keep each in its own airtight glass or steel jar, away from the stove, the sink and direct sunlight, and always use a dry spoon. In hot or humid weather the fridge is the safer place, and it is worth smelling them before use: anything sour, bitter or paint-like should be discarded. Good khus khus should smell clean and faintly milky, which is exactly what handpicked, single-ingredient stock gives you, with no artificial colours, no fillers and no preservatives.
FAQ
Can I use til instead of khus khus in a gravy?
You can, but the result will be a different dish. Til adds a strong nutty flavour and thickens far less. For thickening, soaked cashews or magaz seeds are much closer to khus khus.
Is khus khus the same as sabudana?
No. Sabudana is a starch pearl made from tapioca root and swells up when soaked. Khus khus is a natural seed, many times smaller, and it grinds to a paste instead of swelling into soft balls.
Does khus khus need roasting like til?
Usually not. Khus khus is soaked and ground, and heavy roasting makes it bitter. Til, on the other hand, needs a light dry roast to bring out its nutty aroma before it is used.
If your posto or korma has been coming out thin, it is usually the seed and not the recipe. Try a spoon of well-ground ODM Posta Dana (Khus Khus) next time and see how much creamier the gravy sits.