When I was a child and heard the story of "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves," it never occurred to me that the password, "Open sesame!" contained a reference to something to eat. (Today my point of view has changed radically—if I didn't know better, I might have thought that Alex Haley's popular book was about vegetables.)
I believe my earliest contact with sesame seeds was in the crunchy honey and sesame seed candy that I am still partial to. Or halvah.
Sesame seeds are of Asian origin and figure importantly in the cuisines of India, China, Japan as well as the Levant and the Balkans. They have a rich, nutty flavor that is enhanced by toasting. Atop a Big Mac, they have become an American culinary fixture.
These tiny, pale (or red or black, depending on the region of their origin) seeds offer quick entry to a nutritious meal. Sprinkling them on many of the meat, vegetables, and baked goods you serve is a good idea. You can count on about four grams of protein in a single tablespoon, along with about 55 calories and some minerals and Vitamin B.
Coating chicken parts with them before frying and baking produces a crunchy, nutlike coating that is delicious and fortifying.
Sesame Chicken
2 small chickens, about 2 1/2 lbs. each, cut into serving pieces
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. ground thyme
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 egg
1 cup milk
Oil for frying
Rinse and dry the chicken parts. Combine flour, sesame seeds, salt, paprika, thyme, and pepper in a paper bag or a deep bowl and toss the chicken in this mixture, a few pieces at a time, to coat lightly.
Beat egg and add milk. Dip coated chicken pieces in egg mixture and then toss again in the flour-sesame seed mixture. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil to one-half inch in a large skillet and fry the chicken until golden. Transfer to a foil-covered baking sheet, skin side up, cover loosely with foil and place in oven to bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and continue baking 15 to 20 minutes, until brown and the juices run clear when pierced. Serves six to eight.
