Sesame
- Origin
Sesame is a very old crop. Nowadays it is cultivated mainly in India, China and Korea. Some believe that sesame originated in tropical Africa, while the others think that it came from India.
One of the main purposes of sesame is production of sesame oil. Sesame is one of the main and the oldest oil crops. There is a chance that the very first sesame harvest had been grown mainly because of the oil. To America sesame seeds were brought by slaves in the end of the 17th century.

- Varieties
Depending on the variety sesame seeds can be brown, red, black or yellow. Darker seeds are considered to have more flavour.

- Flavour
Sesame seeds have a sweet nutty scent which strengthened after they are fried.

- Usage
Sesame is often used for giving texture to bread, buns and crackers. In China and Japan sesame seeds are added to salads and vegetables. Sesame paste is used for production of various sweet desserts. In Korea sesame leaves, which have a burning taste, are often served as a side dish with sauces. In addition rice and vegetables can be wrapped in sesame leaves. Sesame salt is a Korean spice which is made of ground fried sesame seeds and salt.

- Storage
Sesame seeds should be stored in a tightly closed container in a dark place. Due to the hight concentration of oil sesame seeds go bad very fast. That is why it is best to buy them in small quantities and use as fast as possible. Sesame oil, on the other hand, can be stored for a long time.

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