Job:07-61264 Title:RacePoint - Herb and Spice Companion
Dtp:VIVIAN Page:20261264 - Herb and Spice Companion_146-256.indd 202 3/7/15 5:30 pm
(Text)HERB & SPICE COMPANION- 202 –
SESAME SEEDS
Sesamum orientale
Flavors: nutty and earthyOne of the oldest cultivated crops on the planet, sesame plants not only produce
richly flavored seeds, but they’re also harvested for their tasty, nutty oil, the most
popular cooking oil in Asian cuisines. The sleek, glossy seeds come in several varieties,
including black, brown, red, and creamy white, the most common sesame seed in the
West. Black sesame seeds have a nuttier
flavor and are most often used in Asia.
Sesame oil is a key ingredient in
Asian stir-fries and dressings. White ses-
ame seeds are ground to make tahini
paste, an essential ingredient in classic
Middle Eastern hummus and the sweet
confection, halvah. They’re also used in
various spice blends, including Middle
Eastern za’atar, Egyptian dukkah, and
Japanese seven-spice powder, or shi-
chimi togarashi (see pages 250–251).In the Garden
Sesame is a heat-loving, annual tropical plant that needs warm soil, at least 70°F,
for healthy growth. They’ll grow in containers, but will not be as tall as those grown
in the ground. Sesame plants need 90 to 120 days of consistently hot weather to
develop ripe seeds, so in cooler climates they may not be fruitful. Fresh-off-the-plant
sesame seeds have edible hulls that are often removed mechanically before being
packaged and sold; they are slightly bitter and sometimes darker in color than hulled
seeds, but still delicious.
Size: 3 to 6 feet tallHEALTH BENEFITS
Sesame contains a lot of oil, which
explains its slick, shiny coating; but
that oil happens to be the healthy
kind, high in the cholesterol-
lowering monounsaturated and
polyunsaturated fatty acids. Sesame
seeds are also packed with nutrients,
such as copper, manganese,
magnesium, calcium, iron, and zinc.Job:07-61264 Title:RacePoint - Herb and Spice Companion
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