Sesame seeds are believed to be warming and energy giving. Hence, they are used in many dishes traditionally eaten in winter. Sweets made from sesame seeds are eaten and exchanged during
Sankranti, a
Hindu festival because it's believed that sesame sweets give a sweet disposition. Apart from sweets, they are used to make nutty
chutneys, add flavor and crunch to salads, chapatis and curries.
More About Sesame:
Sesame is an ancient spice, one of the first recorded plants used for its seeds. It has been used for thousands of years and is still an oil seed of worldwide significance. Early
Assyrians believed their gods drank sesame wine as a prelude to creating the world. A drawing on an Egyptian tomb of 4,000 years ago depicts a baker adding sesame seeds to dough. Around the same time, the Chinese were burning sesame oil to make a soot for ink. Ancient Greek soldiers carried sesame seeds as energy boosting emergency rations and the Romans made a kind of
hummus from sesame and cumin. Sesame has been considered a symbol of good luck and signifies immortality to
Brahmins. Sesame oil is a non-drying oil, highly stable rarely turning rancid in hot climates. It is very rich in protein, a polyunsaturated fat used in margarine production and cooking oils. Non-culinary uses include its use as an ingredient in soap, cosmetics, lubricants and medicines. In southern India it is used to anoint the body and hair. The “Open Sesame” of Arabian Nights fame, probably derives from the sound the ripe seeds make when they burst from their pods, a popping noise that sounds like a lock spring opening.
Sesame Spice Description:
Sesame seeds are contained in the pods of a tropical plant. They are tiny, flat ovals. Seed color can vary, though they are usually beige or creamy white when husked. The seeds are sold dried and whole or ground to form
tahini paste
Sesame Spice Flavor:
Nutty
Sesame Spice Preparation and Storage:
The whole seeds are enhanced by lightly toasting before use. They are ready when they start to jump. Store in airtight containers out of light.
Tahini paste tends to settle into layers and requires stirring before use. It should be kept in a tightly sealed glass jar.
Sesame Spice Culinary Uses:
The simplest and now commonest use of sesame is as whole seeds sprinkled over cakes and breads, like poppy seeds. In
Syria and
Lebanon it is mixed with
sumac and thyme to make the condiment
zatar. Sesame is a key ingredient in
halva, the Middle Eastern confection, where the seeds are ground and pressed into blocks with various sweet or nutty ingredients. Sesame in its ground form, tahini, is widely used throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean. It is a flavoring for hummus, a sauce for kebabs and is often mixed with lemon and garlic to make a bread dip — a popular Arab appetizer or
mezze. In Mexico, its oil is called ajonjoli which is frequently used for cooking. Black sesame appears frequently in Chinese, Japanese and Korean dishes where meat or fish is rolled in the seeds before cooking for a crunchy coating. Black sesame is an ingredient of gomassio, the Japanese tabletop condiment, and other colorful rice and noodle dishes.
Sesame Attributed Medicinal Properties:
Sesame oil is mildly laxative, emollient and demulcent. The seeds and fresh leaves may be used as a poultice. The oil has wide medical and pharmaceutical application.
Other Names Used for Sesame:
Bene Seeds, Beniseed, Benne, Gingelly, Gingili, Gingilli, Semsem, Simsim, Teel, Til
French: sesame
German: Sesam
Italian: sesamo
Spanish: ajonjoli, sesamo
Arabic: tahina, tahine, tahini
Chinese: chi mah, hak chi mah (black sesame)
Indian: gingelly (oil)
Japanese: goma, kuro goma (black sesame)
Malay: bene, bijan
References:
the Epicenter Website
The Book of Spices, F. Rosengarten Jr. (Livingston Publishing Co. , Penn., USA, 1969)
Cooking With Spices, Carolyn Heal & Michael Allsop (David & Charles, Vermont, USA 1983)
Cupboard Love, A Dictionary of Culinary Curiosities, Mark Morton ((Insomniac Press, Toronto, Canada 2004)
The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism, Malcolm Stuart (Macdonald & Company, Turin, Italy, 1987)
The Herb Book, John Lust (Bantam Books, New York, USA, 1984)
New Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology, Felix Guirand (The Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd, Middlesex, England, 1968)