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Black sesame seeds, long a staple of Chinese and Japanese cuisine, have become the darlings of top pastry chefs around the globe, ranging from New York and Los Angeles to Barcelona.I've had the privilege of tasting them atop such dim sum items as chicken pies in New York City. To be honest, I didn't detect any peppery, smoky flavors. Maybe my palate wasn't sophisticated enough at the time.
All I know is I'm going to have to bring my big wallet if I want to taste these shiny, black nuggets of flavor as deployed by the world's best pastry chefs. In my hometown, Johnny Iuzzini, pastry chef at Jean Georges blends, them into the ganache for his chocolates.
At temple of molecular gastronomy El Bulli in Barcelona, Chef Ferran Adrià's brother, Albert, has found a use for them, too. He's concocted a spiral of black sesame brittle, dehydrated raspberries and lime gelatin, capped with coconut ice cream. Back in the States, Ron Mendoza, pastry chef at Sona in West Hollywood, uses black sesame for a brittle and an ice cream.
Here's what I'd like to know: Have you tasted them, and can I borrow your credit card? Seriously can anyone who's tasted black sesame in a high-end restaurant chime in? Even better, can anyone tell me how to use these little gems at home?
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9-08-2006 @2:36PM Vanessa said... quick and easy but not quite as kitchen creativity friendly, hit up your local asian market and look for black sesame paste balls. it's a glutenous white doughy ball filled with black sesame paste often served in a gingery syrup or more black sesame paste soup. that'll be one intense hit of flavour you won't forget.
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9-08-2006 @3:36PM jbd said... I usually use them on the outside of homemade sushi rolls. Boring and traditional, I know.
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9-08-2006 @6:36PM Annie said... Use them as you would white sesame seeds, just don't toast them or they become bitter. They aren't that expensive if you buy them from an Asian grocer. I have successfully used them in sesame cookies.
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9-08-2006 @4:37PM Harlan said... They're available at many well-stocked Asian groceries, and they're neither particularly exotic nor expensive. They taste almost exactly like white sesame seeds. You can get an interesting look/taste inversion by making pastries/bagels/whatever with black sesame seeds and white poppy seeds, both of which are not horribly difficult to find.
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9-08-2006 @6:46PM GIgi said... Black sesame has a much deeper smokier flavor than regular sesame seeds.
I like it simply spinkled over white rice or as an ice cream flavoring (pulverized)
My favorite preparation of black sesame however, are the carmalized black sesame hard candies sold in asian groceries. They are not hard to find either - I have sampled them in CA, MA, IN and IL. (Try Super 88 in Boston)
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9-08-2006 @5:27PM Kathy said... Black and white sesame seeds are interchangeable. There is nothing new under the sun, either. Southern cooks have been making benne seed brittle for generations. Korean cooking, if I'm not mistaken, also makes generous use of black sesame seeds. Asian grocery stores, as has been noted, have both colors for reasonable prices. Don't buy over-priced sesame seeds in a little jar from the spice section at the grocery store.
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9-08-2006 @5:51PM champignon said... I disagree with previous comments. Black sesame seeds have a different texture (crisper than white) and different flavour. Somehow they taste more savoury and more smoky. Peppery? hmmmm... maybe. I understand why someone would think they are interchangeable, but I think they aren't. In the same way black and white pepper aren't interchangeable...
-c
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9-08-2006 @7:49PM melissa said... In a savory application-they're delicious on eggplant!
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9-09-2006 @12:34AM Breeze said... You should be able to get toasted seeds ("irigoma," in Japanese) at negligible cost at an Asian grocer.
We keep this in a dedicated grinder (a pepper grinder should do fine as a substitute) on the table for use as a condiment--a couple of grinds on steamed rice; I like it on my oatmeal; on vegies, both cooked and raw; etc., etc.
If you do develop a taste for this, you can also get another grinder for the white variety, which has a completely different aroma and taste profile.
Good for both the palate and health (toasted and ground is probably preferred healthwise).
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9-09-2006 @12:35AM justme said... Put them on a nice tuna steak! Also, drizzle olive oil on some mixed vegetables, sprinkle the sesame seeds on and grill.
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9-09-2006 @10:13AM Hawk said... while I can't taste any difference, I use black sesame seeds for thai cucumber salad. Reason? You can't see the white ones.
:)
I *think* it's thai cucumber salad... maybe it's some other type of asian cucumber salad...
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9-19-2006 @1:13AM Yin said... I like to sprinkle them over mini buns when I'm pan-frying them instead of steaming them. :9 Also, black sesame paste is a great treat for a cold day, whether you like it watery or thick. There's also black sesame candy bars, which is pretty much sticks of black sesame seeds held together with some sort of sugar.
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