Tila Udhak Recipe | Ellu Neeru Recipe | Sesame Mylk Recipe | Plant-based Dairy Alternatives

Vegan Sesame Mylk Recipe

Slurrrp! Have you ever tasted Tila Udhak? My friend, if you haven’t, walk to your kitchen as you read this recipe. 😀

Back in school, we would spend our summer holidays in Bhatkal, where I was born. Huge gangs of cousins and relatives all under one roof – so many stories to listen to, and so many mouths to feed! My aunt, Shashikala Kharvi, would invariably prepare Tila Udhak or sesame mylk every day for all of us. I still remember her sitting at the grinding stone every afternoon. Don’t worry though, you can still make a decent sesame mylk with a blender or mixie!

If you walk on the streets of towns in coastal Karnataka, you will find Tila Udhak or Ellu Neeru being sold in roadside shops. Bhatkal, Kundapur or Udupi, you can be sure to get a good cold glass any time of the day. Make sure to check if they use cow’s milk though!

You will find that this recipe gives you a brownish milk, while the milk available in shops is white. This is because they use white, refined til. The calcium and healing properties that til is known for is present in the black, unrefined til, hence that is what we have used. We have also used date syrup instead of sugar or jaggery. See Nutrition Science Highlights below for details.

Tila Udhak is a Konkani name, Til / Ellu is sesame seeds and Udhak means water, mylk is the term for plant based milks.

Recipe by Prathima Prashanth, Health Coach & Plant-based Cooking Expert, NutritionScience.in

Whole Food Plant Based Tila Udhak Recipe

Course: Beverage; Snack; Dessert; Dairy Alternative
Cuisine: Udupi Recipe from Coastal Karnataka in South India
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Passive Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 1 glass

INGREDIENTS

2 tsp Black Sesame Seeds / Til / Ellu soaked
2 tbsp Coconut Grated
1/4 cup Date Syrup
1/4 tsp Elaichi / Cardamom Powder
3/4 glass Water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Soak sesame seeds in water for 30mins. This can be skipped if no time.
2. Blend soaked sesame seeds, grated coconut, date syrup, and elaichi / cardamom powder together to a paste. Add water and blend to get Tila Udhak with milk-like consistency. Adjust sweetness if required, as black sesame is mildly bitter and may be overpowering without enough sweetness.
3. Garnish with a dash of cardamom powder and sesame seeds, and serve chilled. Remember to mix once, just before serving, as the solids will separate out within a few minutes if left standing.

Plant Based Chef Pro Tips for Best Tila Udhak Recipe

1. Similar mylk can be prepared with roasted ragi (finger millet).
2. For more flavour, clove powder, vanilla, or cocoa powder can be added.

Nutrition Science Highlights for WFPB Tila Udhak Recipe

1. Why not honey, sugar or jaggery? Sugar and Jaggery are processed foods. Although jaggery is healthier than brown sugar, which, in turn, is healthier than white sugar, all forms of processed foods are unhealthy when compared to whole plant foods. Honey is healthwise as good as jaggery, which isn't saying much. In addition to not being very healthy, honey production kills millions of bees every year, affecting our environment adversely. The best sweetener alternative is a whole fruit or dry fruit. The easiest method of using these is date syrup, as it does not involve peeling or chopping.
2. What's wrong with roasting? The brown color we get on roasting whole grains, tubers, legumes, or nuts is due to the formation of carcinogenic AGE compounds. We can reduce the formation of these compounds by roasting on a low flame, adding spices and herbs, and removing browned portions of rotis / flatbread before serving and enjoying them.
3. Why not dairy? Dairy products have been found to be associated with increased risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, asthma, PCOS, and heart disease. We can still enjoy our milk, cream, and butter though - as long as they are made from whole plant foods!
4. Why nuts instead of oil? Whole foods are healthier than processed foods. When nuts are pressed and oil is extracted, fiber and phytonutrients are lost, along with many other nutrients. Therefore, whole nuts are much healthier than oils, whether cold-pressed or refined. In addition, they provide the oil content we need to absorb fat-soluble phytonutrients from other whole plant foods! This may be why nuts are used to garnish nearly every traditional Indian dish!