Sesame Seed
Sesame seeds are tiny and come in white and black varieties, both intensely fragrant, and are an essential flavoring ingredient in Chinese cold dishes, baking, and cooking oil.
Nutrition
Per 100 grams, sesame seeds contain about 50 grams of fat and 18 grams of protein, along with calcium, iron, and antioxidant compounds like sesamin. Black sesame seeds generally have a slightly higher mineral content than white ones and are often used in traditional Chinese nourishing cooking.
How to Choose
Good sesame seeds are plump and uniform, naturally colored (creamy white for white sesame, jet black for black sesame), free of grit or impurities, with a natural oily aroma. When buying sesame paste, check the ingredient list and choose products made from pure ground sesame without excessive added oil or sugar.
Cooking
Toasting sesame seeds deepens their flavor; sprinkle them straight over cold dishes, sweet soups, or baked goods. Ground into paste, sesame becomes the classic base for noodle sauces and hot pot dipping sauce, while black sesame is often blended with walnuts and black soybeans into a nourishing drink.
Storage
Sesame seeds are high in oil and oxidize easily, so seal and refrigerate them to extend freshness by several months. Once opened, sesame paste should also be refrigerated and used up promptly to prevent the oil from separating and oxidizing, which affects flavor.
Tips
Beyond color, black and white sesame seeds differ slightly in nutrition — black sesame usually has higher mineral content and is traditionally considered more nourishing, while white sesame has a slightly higher oil content and yields more oil when pressed. When toasting sesame seeds, keep the heat low and stir constantly, removing them from the heat as soon as they start to pop lightly and release their aroma — over-toasting will make them bitter.
