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List of sesame seed dishes facts for kids

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Sa white sesame seeds
A magnified view of sesame seeds

Sesame seeds are tiny, flat seeds that come from the sesame plant. They are often used in cooking because they have a rich, nutty taste. You can find them in many different foods around the world. These seeds can be used whole or ground up. They add a special flavor to dishes.

Delicious Dishes with Sesame Seeds

Sesame seeds are a popular ingredient in many yummy foods. Here are some of the most notable dishes and treats that use these tiny, flavorful seeds.

Sweet Treats

  • Pasteli: This is a crunchy candy from Greece and Cyprus. It's a flat bar made with honey and sesame seeds. Sometimes, nuts are added too. Ancient Greeks also made similar sweet treats with sesame and honey.
  • Benne Ball: This hard, ball-shaped dessert comes from Trinidad and Tobago. It's a sweet treat made mostly from sesame.
  • Benne Wafer: A thin, crispy cookie popular in Charleston, South Carolina. It's made from sesame seeds and sesame flour. People believe sesame seeds, also called "benne," came to America from West Africa long ago.
  • Binangkal: These are doughnuts from the Philippines. They are deep-fried dough balls covered in sesame seeds. People often eat them with hot chocolate or coffee.
  • Black Sesame Roll: A sweet, soft dessert from Hong Kong. You can find it in many Chinese restaurants. It's usually served cold.
  • Black Sesame Soup: A warm, sweet soup popular in East Asia, especially China, Hong Kong, and Singapore. It's a comforting dessert.
  • Chikki: A traditional Indian sweet. It's often made with sesame seeds, nuts, and a sweet syrup like jaggery.
  • Gajak: This dry sweet comes from India. It's popular in winter. Gajak is made from sesame seeds, ground nuts, and jaggery.
  • Injeolmi: A type of Korean rice cake. Sometimes, these chewy cakes are coated with sesame seeds for extra flavor.
  • Jian Dui: A fried Chinese pastry. It's made from sticky rice flour and covered with sesame seeds. It's crispy on the outside and chewy inside.
  • Tilkut: A sweet from India. It's made by pounding sesame seeds with jaggery or sugar.
  • Sesame Halva: A sweet candy found in many places like the Middle East and Europe. It's made from ground sesame seeds and sugar.
  • Sesame-Seed Candy: A simple sweet made by pressing sesame seeds with sugar or honey into a bar or ball. It's popular in many parts of Asia and the Middle East.
    • Changzhou Sesame Candy: A traditional cookie from Changzhou, China.
    • Gofio de Ajonjolí: A sweet from Puerto Rico. It's made with roasted corn, sesame seeds, and brown sugar.
    • Mampostial: A Puerto Rican candy bar. It's made with coconut, brown sugar, honey, and sesame seeds.
    • Pilones de Ajonjolí: These are lollipops from Puerto Rico. They are made with sesame seeds, honey, and fruit juice or coconut milk.
    • Tilgul: A colorful sesame-seed candy from India. People in Maharashtra exchange Tilgul during the Sankranti festival.

Savory Dishes

Tahina
Tahini with lemon and garlic
  • Furikake: A dry Japanese seasoning. You sprinkle it on rice, vegetables, or fish. It often has dried fish, sesame seeds, seaweed, sugar, and salt.
  • Funchi Criollo: A soup from Puerto Rico. It's made with sesame paste and broth. It also has dumplings made from taro, yams, and plantains. This dish is important to Afro-Puerto Rican culture.
  • Goma-ae: A Japanese side dish. It's usually vegetables mixed with a sesame dressing. "Goma" means sesame in Japanese.
  • Gomashio: A dry seasoning made from unhulled sesame seeds and salt. It's often sprinkled on rice.
  • Heugimja-juk: This is black sesame porridge from Korea. It's made from finely ground black sesame seeds and rice. It's a healthy and nutty dish.
  • Horchata de Ajonjolí: A refreshing drink from Puerto Rico. It's made with toasted sesame seeds and spices.
  • Ka'ak: A type of bread common in the Near East. It's shaped like a large ring and covered with sesame seeds.
  • Tahini: A creamy paste made from ground sesame seeds. It's used as a dip or as a main ingredient in foods like hummus and baba ghanoush.
  • Sesame-Seed Cake: A cake made with sesame seeds. It's often sweetened with honey.
    • Changzhou Sesame Cake: An oval-shaped baked cake from Changzhou, China. It's said to be over 150 years old.
    • Huangqiao Sesame Cake: Another sesame-seed cake from China. It's believed to be one of the oldest cakes in its region.
  • Sesame Chicken: A popular Chinese dish. It's usually fried chicken pieces coated in a sweet and savory sesame sauce.

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List of sesame seed dishes Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.