Sesame (Sesamum indicum) is one of the oldest cultivated oilseed crops, domesticated over 3,000 years ago in the Indian subcontinent or East Africa. The small, flat seeds come in white, black, brown, and golden varieties, each with subtly different flavours. They have a rich, nutty taste that intensifies when toasted.
Sesame seeds and their derivatives are used across an enormous range of cuisines and food products. Whole seeds appear on breads, in stir-fries, and in confections like halva. Sesame oil is a staple in East Asian cooking. Tahini — a paste of ground sesame seeds — is fundamental to Middle Eastern and North African foods like hummus and baba ghanoush. Sesame is also a significant allergen, and in Australia it is one of the allergens that must be declared on food labels.
How it's produced
Sesame is an annual crop grown in tropical and subtropical regions. It is planted from seed in well-drained soils and requires a long, warm growing season of 90 to 120 days. The plants grow to about one metre tall and produce pods along the stem that contain the seeds.
Traditionally, sesame is harvested by hand when the lower pods begin to split open — the origin of the phrase “open sesame.” Modern varieties have been bred for more uniform maturity to allow mechanical harvesting. Major producing countries include Sudan, Myanmar, India, Tanzania, and China. In Australia, sesame is grown on a small scale in northern Queensland and the Northern Territory.
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