Physical Description
Sesame is an edible vegetable oil derived from sesame seeds.Oil is not odorless, and smells of ground sesame seeds. Toasted sesame oil is very fragrant. It has almost a burnt sesame smell to it.
Colors: Regular sesame oil is medium yellow, but still is clear. Toasted semsame oil is dark brown in color.
Tasting Notes
Flavors: nutty
Mouthfeel: Oily, Pungent, Nutty
Food complements: Rice wine vinegar, Ginger, Great for salad dressings, Anything asian inspired (it will give your food an added kick over vegetable oil or olive oil)
Wine complements: Rose, Gewurtztraminer, Viognier
Beverage complements: Tsing tao (chinese beer), Hot tea, Sake
Substitutes: Vegetable oil with sesame seeds, Grapeseed oil, Olive oil, Walnut oil, Peanut oil
Selecting and Buying
Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december
Choosing: There are many variations in the color of sesame oil: cold-pressed sesame oil is pale yellow, while Indian sesame oil (gingelly or til oil) is golden, and Chinese and Korean sesame oils are commonly a dark brown color. This dark color and flavor are derived from roasted/toasted sesame seeds. Cold pressed sesame oil has a different flavor than the toasted oil, since it is produced directly from raw, rather than toasted seeds.
Buying: Sesame oil can be found in most grocery stores in the foreign foods or Asian food sections. It can also be found at oriental markets. High quality organic sesame oil can also be found at most health-food stores.
Preparation and Use
Light sesame oil has a high smoke point and is suitable for deep-frying, while heavy (dark) sesame oil (from roasted sesame seeds) has a slightly lower smoke point and is unsuitable for deep-frying. Instead it can be used for the stir-frying of meats or vegetables, or for the making of an omelette. Most in Asia use Roasted Sesame Oil for seasoning, particularly in East Asian cuisine.
Because it burns easily, sesame oil is usually added at the end of cooking to flavor the dish.
Conserving and Storing
Oils and fats spoil by readily becoming rancid. Rancidity is promoted by light, atmospheric oxygen and moisture and leads to changes in odor and taste. Thus, the tanks and barrels must be filled as full as possible, taking into consideration the coefficient of cubic expansion (see Density), so that as little ullage space as possible is left above the cargo. Do not load rancid oil, since it does not meet quality requirements.
Social/Political
History: Sesame seeds were one of the first crops processed for oil as well as one of the earliest condiments.Prior to 600 BC, the Assyrians used sesame oil as a food, salve, and medication, primarily by the rich, as the difficulty of obtaining it made it expensive. Hindus used it in votive lamps and considered the oil sacred
