Sesame seeds

K. T. Achaya, in his Indian Food: A Historical Companion, places sesame seeds in India around 20 million years B.C.! White sesame seeds have a nutty flavor, which is accentuated when toasted or roasted in India’s myriad curries. The oil from the unrefined seed, called gingelly oil in southern India, also imparts a delicate nutty flavor.