| Sesame
(Sesamum indicum L.) The dried seeds of the Sesame taste nutty; its flavor is dramatically increased by toasting. Sesame is an ancient cultigen's. Today, it is mostly grown in India and the Far East (China, Korea), but its origin is probably tropic Africa (although some other sources seem to favor an Indian origin). The "Open Sesame" of Arabian Nights fame, probably derives from the sound the ripe seeds make when they burst from their pods, a popping noise that sounds like a lock spring opening. Sesame
is still an oil seed of worldwide significance. |