10 Simple Sesame Recipes

Sesame : A Primer

This one is for Padmajha's Think Spice event, started by Sunitha.

Sesame, native to India, was domesticated over 4000 years back. From India they moved to Middle east and South east asia. It  is common in the cuisines of all these regions. Sesame oil is one of the mankind’s first oils. It is still the preferred oil in Tamil and Chinese cuisines. The western world got introduced to sesame recently and uses whole seeds chiefly in breads, buns and crackers. Black and tan sesame seeds are the most common. Their skin is removed to make white sesame seeds.

Unhusked seeds are routinely used in India and the south east Asia. In the Middle east and West, they are always husked and toasted.  India and China are the world's largest producers of sesame.

Sesame is rich in antioxidants, copper, calcium, magnesium and cholestrol lowering fibers (lignans). The anti inflammatory properties of sesame oil were well understood in Tamilnadu, where weekly body massages with Sesame oil are common.

 

This cookbook lists 10 simple recipes using sesame. The following recipes are listed in this cookbook:

1.:   Gomashio ( Sesame salt)  (Japanese)

2.:   Ellu Podi ( Spicy sesame powder)  ( Tamilnadu) 

3.:   Tahini ( Sesame butter)  ( Middle East)

4.:   Ellu thogayal ( Spicy sesame dip) ( Tamilnadu)

5.:   Sesame milk 

6.:   Sesame Sprouts  

7.:   Hummus ( Mashed chickpea dip) ( Middle east)

8.:.  Baba ghanoush ( Mashed eggplant dip) (Middle east)

9.:   Ell Urundai (Jaggery sesame balls)  ( Tamilnadu)

10.: Til Chikki ( Sesame brittle) (India)