Unhulled Sesame Seeds

Unhulled sesame seeds are whole sesame seeds with their outer hull left on. Compared with hulled sesame, they are usually slightly darker in colour, with a firmer, crunchier bite and a fuller, slightly bitter, nutty taste. In the kitchen they are commonly toasted and sprinkled over bread, ka'ak and manakish, mixed into za'atar blends, added to biscuits and sweets, or scattered over salads and roasted vegetables. Some people also grind them at home into a rustic tahini or sesame paste. You can find unhulled sesame seeds in the pantry section at Dekenet Al Nes in Baaqline, in the Chouf, where they are sold by the kilo. Dekenet Al Nes is a package-free grocery store, so customers are encouraged to bring their own jars or bags and take only the amount they need, helping to cut down on plastic and single-use packaging.