White Sesame Seeds

White sesame seeds are the small, pale seeds of the sesame plant, a staple in Lebanese and wider Middle Eastern kitchens. They are commonly sprinkled over ka'ak, breads and pastries before baking, mixed with thyme and sumac to make a za'atar blend, and ground into tahini for hummus, moutabal and tarator sauce. Many people also use them to make simsmiyeh, the crunchy sesame and sugar bars, or toast them lightly in a dry pan to add a nutty taste to salads, rice and grilled dishes. You can find white sesame seeds in the pantry section at Dekenet Al Nes in Baaqline, in the Chouf, sold by the kilo. As a package-free shop, we encourage customers to bring their own containers and fill up only the amount they need, which helps cut single-use packaging.