Sesame (Sesamum indicum)

Family: Pedaliaceae | Edibility: Edible (3/5)

S. orientale L. (1753) and S. indicum L. have equal priority. DC. (Pl. Rar. Jard. Geneve 16-19. 1825) accepted S. orientale and cited S. indicum as a synonym. The conservation of S. indicum, however, has precedence over S. orientale.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Nuts/Seeds, Leaves

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Late Summer, Spring

Flavor & Culinary Uses

sweetmeats, or crushed and used as a butter or as 'tahini'. — Usually roasted or stewed, it can also be ground into a powder and used as a flour, added to breads, vegetables etc, used to make sweetmeats, or crushed and used as a butter or as 'tahini'.; It can also be fermented into 'tempeh', ground into a powder and mixed with a sweetener to make 'halva', or made into a paste and used as the spread 'tahini'.; The seeds can also be sprouted and used in salads.; The seed contains about 21.5% protein, 60.8% fat, 8.9% carbohydrate, 3.4% ash.

Habitat & North American Range

Not known in a truly wild situation. (Zone 10)