Sesame
SEH-suh-mee
Sesamum indicum
Nutty, toasty, mild, oil-rich.
What it is
Sesame is the small seed of Sesamum indicum, one of the oldest oilseed crops in the world, with a mild, nutty, toasty flavor that deepens when the seeds are toasted. White and black varieties top breads, noodles, and stir-fries, season Korean and Japanese dishes, and are ground into tahini, the paste behind hummus and halva. The plant's seed pods burst open when ripe, which is the likely root of the phrase open sesame. Sesame is a building block of blends like za'atar, dukkah, and Japanese furikake and shichimi togarashi.
What it pairs with
Goes wrong with: nothing in particular; it is gentle.
Common in Middle Eastern, Chinese, Japanese, Korean cooking.
Whole vs ground
Whole seeds, white or black, are used raw or toasted for crunch and topping. Ground, they become tahini paste, the base of hummus and halva.
How to handle it
Toast whole seeds in a dry pan until golden and fragrant to deepen their nutty flavor before sprinkling. Black sesame is earthier and used more for contrast.
Storage
Airtight and cool; the seeds are oily and can go rancid, so buy modest amounts and use within months.
Buying note
Smell for freshness, since stale sesame turns bitter. Toasted seeds have more flavor but a shorter shelf life.
Classic dishes
tahini, halva, za'atar, sesame noodles.
Out of sesame? Substitutes
No substitute is exact. These are the closest by flavor behavior, with the ratio to start from and how the result will differ.
| Use instead | Ratio | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| poppy seeds for topping | 1:1 | similar crunch, less nutty richness |
| finely chopped toasted nuts | to taste | nuttier and coarser |
One odd thing
The phrase open sesame likely comes from the way ripe sesame pods split open suddenly to release their seeds.