What do sesame seeds look like

Ready to find out more about the infamous Sesame Seed? Native to Asia and East Africa and enjoyed for almost years, sesame seeds were one of the first crops processed for oil and have been featured in many legends — in some, Sesame Seeds represent a symbol of immortality; in others, the gods created the world and drank wine from sesame seeds.

In the 17th century, sesame seeds were brought to the US from Africa and then distributed around the world. The sesame plant looks similar to okra and is an annual flowering herb where the pods are dried and collected before they can open.

Then, the seeds are sold to make into paste or sesame oil. Sesame plants need — days to mature at which point they become ready for harvesting. Packed with vitamins, nutrients and minerals, sesame seeds might be tiny, but they have huge health benefits. Sesame seed is the seed of the sesame plant Sesamum indicum. The plant is an annual herb with foxglove-like flowers that produce pods containing the edible sesame seeds. The pods burst open with a pop when the seeds are mature. The hulls are removed as they contain oxalic acid, which gives a bitter flavor.

The seeds can also be pressed for sesame oil. Besides use as a condiment, in Asia, the toasted seeds are used to make sesame paste, which is often used as a peanut butter substitute. In Middle Eastern and Asian cuisine, the untoasted seeds are used to make tahini paste. White and black varieties of sesame seed are available. The white has a delicate flavor and can be used in all dishes calling for sesame seeds.

The black seeds have a richer flavor and stronger aroma and are best used alongside other bold ingredients so as not to overwhelm the dish.

However, the choice of black vs. Sesame seeds have a nutty, slightly sweet taste and aroma which is enhanced by toasting. The black seeds are said to have more bitterness.

When stored in an airtight container in the freezer, sesame seeds can last for up to a year. With high vitamin B1, dietary fiber benefitting digestion , high concentration of polyunsaturated healthy fats, and a multitude of vitamins, and minerals, sesame seeds are used for a variety of nutritional purposes.

Many people like to toast or bake their sesame seeds to bring out the nutty flavor and add them as a decorative garnish to savory dishes. In Chinese cooking, sesame seeds are used to coat foods to give them a crunchy exterior.

In the U. The second ingredient in Hummus is Tahini or Tahina , and Tahini is almost entirely you guessed it sesame seeds that have been ground and made into a paste. Sesame oil is also celebrated for its skincare benefits, and is used for its hydrating and antioxidant properties and as an ingredient in soaps and cosmetics in India. At Pacific Spice, we carry whole sesame seeds in a variety of colors:. Whether you choose just one or try all the varieties, we encourage you to use your imagination and find your own favorite uses for the long-celebrated and versatile sesame seed.

Connect with us on Instagram and share! And, as Hedberg rightly asked, "how's a sesame seed stick to a bun? There's got to be some sesame seed glue out there! Either that, or they're adhesive on one side. Here's what you need to know:. Want to read more from HuffPost Taste? Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , Pinterest and Tumblr. Correction: This article originally said that sesame oil has the good kind of cholesterol, when in fact sesame oil contains the good kind of fat: mono- and polyunsaturated acids, which are the fats that cut cholesterol.

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