Sesame

Sesame, valued for its oil (see Flavoring Oils) has the nuttiest flavor of the spice-like seeds. Whole white sesame seed is sprinkled on top of breads, cookies and crackers, where it is browned during baking. Raw sesame seed is ground to make tahini, a Middle Eastern paste used to flavor hummus and other cold purées. Toasted seed is ground to make a darker paste used in cold dishes like Chinese dan dan noodles. Sesame also features in Armenian, Turkish and Greek cuisine, especially in baking, and in sweetmeats such as halvah. Black sesame seeds are sometimes used, but are inferior in taste.