Sesame

seed of the plant Sesamum indicum of the family Pedaliaceae.

The seed is used whole in cooking for its mild, nutty flavour, and also yields a cooking oil. Sesame seeds are sometimes added to bagels and the top of hamburger buns. Sesame seeds are baked into crackers, often in the form of sticks.

Sesame seeds can be made into a paste called tahini and a Turkish confection called halvah. Sesame flavor (through oil and seeds (roasted and plain)) are also very popular in Korean cuisine. You can also see sesame seeds sprinkled onto some Sushi style foods. Chinese cuisine uses sesame seeds and oil in some dishes, such as the dim sum dish, sesame seed balls (麻糰 ma-tuan).