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On average there are 178 sesame seeds on a McDonald's Big Mac bun, but these tiny seeds have the potential to be so much more than the simple garnish on top of a bread roll.

Sesame seeds are thought to be one of the world's oldest seasonings, and the wine and oil made from sesame seeds was widely used in ancient times. One legend tells of how the Assyrian gods drank sesame wine, and on the following day they created the world. Sesame seeds also appear in early Hindu legends, and it's believed these seeds originated in India, and were later introduced to the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

The ancient Chinese used sesame oil as fuel for their lamps and as an ingredient in their superior inks, and a tomb painting illustrates that ancient Egyptians added sesame seeds to their baked goods. Ancient Babylonian's used sesame oil for cooking, as a medicine and as the base for many perfumes.

In Africa sesame seeds were called benne seeds and were considered to be lucky. African slaves brought these seeds with them to America, where they can still be found in many southern dishes. Today sesame plants or Sesamum indicum are cultivated in China, India and the United States.

Interestingly the name of the popular American children's programme Sesame Street is a play on the infamous phrase 'Open Sesame!' which so effortlessly opened the robber's cave in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. This magical password is rumoured to have come from the way in which sesame seeds burst from their ripe pods at the slightest touch.

These tiny, flat oval seeds range in colour from a light tan to a dark brown or even black, and are incredibly versatile as their distinctive nutty flavour goes well with both savoury and sweet foods.

Sesame seeds are the star ingredient in traditional Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes - Tahini (a dip made from ground sesame seeds) and Baba ghanoush (pureed eggplant mixed with tahini) are divine with warm pita bread, while the sesame and honey confection halva is a delicious sweet treat.

In Asia sesame oil is widely used for cooking, and sesame seeds add a wonderfully subtle crunch to stir-fries or rice dishes, and are used as a coating for many deep-fried desserts.

So what can you do with sesame seeds at home? What can't you do! A sprinkling of sesame seeds can spice up stir-fries, salads, vegetables and rice, and try sesame seeds as a coating for fish or chicken rather than breadcrumbs. Make tarts, quiches and pies more interesting by incorporating sesame seeds into the pastry, and of course you can always garnish breads with sesames seeds before baking.

What's more, sesame seeds aid digestion and are believed to lower cholesterol levels, while the oil can be used as massage oil or to soothe sunburn. However, keep in mind that while sesame oil can be kept for quite a long time, the high oil content of the actual seeds means that they may turn rancid. So it's best to buy smaller quantities of sesame seeds and use them quickly, or to store them in the fridge.

Now that you know all this, promise us you'll never take the tiny seeds on top of your hamburger for granted again!

Happy cooking!

The Food24.co.za Team