Sesame into a bar resembling peanut brittle and sold in stores and street corners. Sesame is a popular and essential ingredient in many Middle Eastern cuisines. Sesame seeds are made into a paste called "tahini" (used in various ways, including "hummus bi tahini") and the Middle Eastern confection "halvah". Ground and processed, the seed is also used in sweet confections. Sesame is also a common component of the Levantine spice mixture "za'atar", popular all throughout the Middle East. In South Asian, Middle Eastern, and East Asian cuisines, popular confectionery are made from sesame mixed with honey or syrup and roasted into
Tomato paste or "concentrate". In the US, "tomato paste" is simply concentrated tomato solids (no seeds or skin), sometimes with added sweetener (high fructose corn syrup), and with a standard of identity (in the Code of Federal Regulations, see 21 CFR 155.191). "Tomato purée" has a lower tomato solids requirement. In Nigeria, tomato paste is mixed with Coca Cola or any malt drink and used as a blood tonic. It is believed that the mixture helps the body gain blood quickly. Tomato paste Tomato paste is a thick paste made by cooking tomatoes for several hours to reduce the water content, straining