Sesame Seeds – February Featured Ingredient

How much do know about Sesame Seeds – February Featured Ingredient? Outside of sprinkling these little oval seeds on salads, creating a crust on fresh tuna, used in Asian cuisine, and garnishing sushi not too much, right? Well, let me tell you these nutty tasting seeds have a history. Did you know Africans consider them to be good luck when eaten? Sesame Seeds are baked into a crispy cookie called Benne Wafers. Benne is a common term for sesame in Africa. So I’ve chosen Sesame Seeds because it is also Black History Month. I think you’ll enjoy this short yet very interesting history and hope to see you use Sesame Seeds – February Featured Ingredient more often in your day-to-day cooking.

Sesame Seeds – February Featured Ingredient

The history of Sesame Seeds – February Featured Ingredient begins their long history dating back to 1500 B.C. where Egyptians used the seeds as medicine. An Egyptian tomb drawing actually shows a baker 4000 years ago adding sesame seeds to dough. Believed to be the oldest crop grown for taste and its edible oil dates back 2000 years ago in China. Sesame Seeds common name is as I mentioned earlier Benne Seed in Africa, Semsem in Arabic and sesame oil is known as Tahina.

Sesame Seeds – February Featured Ingredient

Thousands of years ago, Greek soldiers carried sesame seeds as energy boosting rations while Romans made a type of hummus with sesame seed and cumin. This little seed has signified immortality and a symbol of good luck to Brahmins. Babylonians used the seeds to make cakes and oil for cooking and making toiletries. “Open Sesame” used in the book “The Thousand and One Nights” was the magical password which opened the cave in “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”. This phrase calls attention to the seeds ability to pop when ripe. Sesame Seeds – February Featured Ingredient were imported from India to Europe in the First Century. Persians had no Olive oil so they used sesame oil. Africans brought benne or sesame to the United States in the 17th Century during the slave trade.

Sesame Seeds – February Featured Ingredient

So what are Sesame seeds? Simply put these tiny dried, oval-shaped seeds come from an annual herb that grows extremely well in hot climates. Still harvested by hand yet primarily grown for its oil rich seeds containing 25 percent protein. Who knew? Furthermore, sesame seeds come in red, brown, and black varieties but most commonly found in pale ivory. Read more about the plant which produces sesame seeds and how to grow your own. I may have to try this out.

Most relevant, what do sesame seeds taste like and how do you use them? The seeds have a nut-like, slightly sweet flavor that comes to life when toasted. Black seeds are considered the most aromatic but all varieties are richer in flavor when toasted. These tiny flat seeds are versatile enough to use in cookies, cakes, pastries and breads. One of the most popular ways to use sesame seeds is a sprinkling on top of bagels and hamburger buns. But are baked in candy and crackers, or crushed into paste called tahini used to make hummus. In preparing Asian dishes, seeds are used to create crunchy coatings on fish such as fresh tuna and the ever popular sushi. Check out my favorite recipe for Benne Wafers from Food 52 by way of The Gourmet Cookie Book.

Sesame Seeds – February Featured Ingredient

Sesame Seeds – February Featured Ingredient are widely available. Find seeds in your local and specialty markets like Middle Eastern, Asian, and health food stores. Since these seeds have a high oil content they can become rancid very quickly. Be sure to store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place up to three months, six months refrigerated, and one year in the freezer.

I highly recommend getting to know sesame seeds. I have learned to use them more and more, experimenting in my own kitchen. You’ll wonder why you never paid more attention to such a versatile little seed. So next time you try your hand at baking breads or preparing fresh tuna steaks, grab those Sesame Seeds – February Featured Ingredient and say “Open Sesame”. Let the magic begin.