Sesame
Seed
Sesame seed is an ancient spice with an earthy, nutty flavor and aroma.
It is most commonly used whole sprinkled over cakes and breads. The seed's
flavor benefits from toasting and adds a delicious crunch to salads and
steamed vegetables. Sesame in its ground form, tahini, is widely used throughout
the Middle East and Mediterranean as a flavoring for hummus (blended chick
peas or garbanzo beans), a kebab sauce and mixed with garlic and lemon to
make a bread dip. Whole seeds can be part of stir-fry seasoning. Crushed
seeds make a crunchy coating for fried chicken or fish. To make tahini,
use a food processor to blend the seeds with a bit of olive or vegetable
oil until smooth like peanut butter. Blend with the hummus and add your
choices of: additional oil, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, and/or chili powder.
Black sesame is an ingredient of gomassio, the Japanese condiment, and other
colourful rice and noodle dishes.
