What Can I Do With Sesame Leaves?

Sesame leaves are difficult to find in U.S. supermarkets, though they are common throughout Korea and are considered a staple. While the plant is commonly used for its oil and seed production, leaves can be harvested. Each plant produces 15,000 seeds per pound and the plant grows up to 6 feet tall with broad foliage. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Health

Koreans use sesame leaves as a part of their regular diet. The greens provide a tasty addition to meals and provides health benefits. The leaves are highly valued for their mineral density. The leaf can help treat food poisoning, abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting, particularly from eating tainted seafood. Coughs, asthma and difficulty breathing are also treatable with sesame leaf. The leaf is usually reduced in hot water and then drank to treat all of these ailments. The leaf can be used to make an herbal green spicy tea.

Fragrance

The leaf is also extremely aromatic, comparable to the potency of basil and mint, but its fragrance is nutty. Scented oil is manufactured from the leaf. It is referred to in this form as perilla leaf oil. In fact, the name sesame leaf can be used interchangeably with perilla leaf. The leaf produces a medium-strength fragrant herbal oil.

Seseme Leaf Pancakes

Sesame leaves can add a healthy touch to pancakes. The leaves are used in Korean pancakes along with zucchini, chili, onions and chili paste. In Korea, the pancakes are called kkaenip jang ddeok. Sesame leaves are incorporated by slicing them thinly along with the other ingredients. The batter is combined with the chili and then the vegetables are added directly into the batter. The jang refers to sauce, which is like soy sauce, and is used for dipping.

Agriculture

Due to the relative unavailability of sesame leaves throughout North America, you may choose to grow your own. The production of sesame plants in the United States began in the 1950s. Since then, between 10,000 to 20,000 acres of the crop have been planted, primarily for the production of sesame oil, an oil that was used in Babylon and Assyria more than 4,000 years ago. Over 5 million acres have been designated around the world for the production of sesame plants.