Sesame Seeds
Sesame is a thick, bushy plant averaging about 60 centimetres in height; it bears pretty white or pink flowers from which the pods develop. Each pod contains numerous flat seeds that are creamy white, yellow, reddish, or blackish in colour, depending on the variety. The tiny oval seeds are covered with a thin edible hull and have a nutty flavour. The famous magic formula "open sesame!" from Arabian tales was inspired by the fact that the pods of the sesame plant burst open when the enclosed seeds reach maturity. Sesame seeds are harvested by hand; the plant is principally cultivated in countries where labour is cheap and readily available.
The edible seeds of this plant are highly valued for their oil, which represents more than half of their total weight and which is extremely resistant to rancidity. In addition to its use as a food, sesame is used in the fabrication of cosmetics and as livestock feed (the residue from the extraction of the oil). At the end of the 17th century, African slaves introduced sesame into the southern United States. It is cultivated on a modest scale in America today, where it is used mainly as a condiment. The largest producers of sesame are India, China, and Mexico.
Sesame fat is composed of 82% unsaturated fatty acids (38% monounsaturates and 44% polyunsaturates).
Sesame is said to have laxative, antiarthritic, and emollient properties. It is also beneficial for the nervous system, and is used to aid in digestion and to activate blood circulation. Sesame oil makes excellent massage oil.
Because their tiny size makes it difficult to chew them well, sesame seeds are easier to digest when ground. The body better assimilates the nutrients in sesame seeds when they are consumed in the form of an oil, paste, or butter.
Sesame seeds can be ground into flour, but the flour will not rise since it does not contain gluten; sesame flour can be used alone or in combination with other flours.
Plain or roasted sesame seeds can be ground into a paste. When thick, this paste is called sesame butter and is used like peanut butter. The runnier version of sesame paste is called tahini; it is a very popular condiment, particularly in Asia and the Middle East, where it is used to flavour sauces, main dishes, and desserts. It is often combined with lemon juice, salt, pepper, and seasonings and used as vinaigrette on vegetables, salads, or appetizers.
The oil extracted from sesame seeds is amber or yellow in colour, with a thick consistency and a pronounced flavour. It is excellent for frying and does not turn rancid easily. Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and Arab cuisines use sesame oil as a condiment and as a seasoning, as well as for cooking. The Lebanese combine chickpeas and sesame oil to make hummus.
History
Sesame is an annual oil-producing plant native to Indonesia and East Africa, from where it later spread throughout Asia and North Africa. Cultivated in Mesopotamia more than 3,500 years ago, sesame is believed to have been one of the first condiments as well as one of the first plants to be used for its edible oil. Archaeological remains show that sesame was grown in Palestine and in Syria some 3,000 years before the Christian era. An Egyptian tomb dating back 4,000 years depicts a baker adding sesame seeds to his dough.The edible seeds of this plant are highly valued for their oil, which represents more than half of their total weight and which is extremely resistant to rancidity. In addition to its use as a food, sesame is used in the fabrication of cosmetics and as livestock feed (the residue from the extraction of the oil). At the end of the 17th century, African slaves introduced sesame into the southern United States. It is cultivated on a modest scale in America today, where it is used mainly as a condiment. The largest producers of sesame are India, China, and Mexico.
Nutritional Value
Dried sesame seeds are an excellent source of magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, thiamine, niacin, folic acid, and vitamin B6; they are a very rich source of dietary fibre and contain riboflavin.Sesame fat is composed of 82% unsaturated fatty acids (38% monounsaturates and 44% polyunsaturates).
Sesame is said to have laxative, antiarthritic, and emollient properties. It is also beneficial for the nervous system, and is used to aid in digestion and to activate blood circulation. Sesame oil makes excellent massage oil.
Because their tiny size makes it difficult to chew them well, sesame seeds are easier to digest when ground. The body better assimilates the nutrients in sesame seeds when they are consumed in the form of an oil, paste, or butter.
Buying
Sesame seeds are marketed raw or roasted, with or without their hulls.Storage
Hulled sesame seeds should be kept in the refrigerator, as they tend to turn rancid quickly. Whole seeds can be stored in an airtight container, away from heat and humidity. Sesame seeds can also be frozen.Using
Sesame seeds can be used as they are, plain or roasted. They often serve to garnish breads and cakes and are the basic ingredient, along with honey and almonds, in halvah, a Middle Eastern sweet.Sesame seeds can be ground into flour, but the flour will not rise since it does not contain gluten; sesame flour can be used alone or in combination with other flours.
Plain or roasted sesame seeds can be ground into a paste. When thick, this paste is called sesame butter and is used like peanut butter. The runnier version of sesame paste is called tahini; it is a very popular condiment, particularly in Asia and the Middle East, where it is used to flavour sauces, main dishes, and desserts. It is often combined with lemon juice, salt, pepper, and seasonings and used as vinaigrette on vegetables, salads, or appetizers.
The oil extracted from sesame seeds is amber or yellow in colour, with a thick consistency and a pronounced flavour. It is excellent for frying and does not turn rancid easily. Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and Arab cuisines use sesame oil as a condiment and as a seasoning, as well as for cooking. The Lebanese combine chickpeas and sesame oil to make hummus.
