Sesame Seeds

These are dried seeds of the sesame herb. They have a pleasing nutty flavour and are rich in protein and minerals. Unhulled, the seeds range in colour from greyish-white to black, but once the hull is removed, the actual seeds are revealed to be tiny, somewhat flattened, cream-coloured and pointed at one end. Keep them in a glass jar in a cool dry place and they will last indefinitely.

Sesame paste is a rich, thick, creamy brown paste made from sesame seeds. It is used in both hot and cold dishes, and sold in jars, available from Asian grocers. If you cannot obtain sesame paste, use peanut butter which resembles it in texture. Don’t confuse sesame paste, which is toasted, with puréed whole sesame seeds (tahini).