Sesame seeds are considered to have Indian origin. A very famous saying "Open sesame!" came from sesame seed pod which bursts and open when ripe. Sesame seeds, an alkaline food, offer many nutritional benefits. They're an excellent source of zinc, manganese, magnesium, copper, calcium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1 and dietary fibre. Sesame seeds add a nutty taste and a delicate, almost invisible, crunch to many Asian dishes. They are also the main ingredients in tahini (sesame seed paste) and the wonderful Middle Eastern sweet call halvah. They are available throughout the year. Botanical name : Sesamum Indicum L