Sesame Chicken

Sesame seeds are very special in Canton. There is, of course, the fine, scented oil from pressed sesame seeds that gives so much fragrance to cooked dishes. But the seeds themselves are fragrant, particularly after they have been roasted. When they are sprinkled on food, they impart a special nutty aroma. There is a Cantonese aphorism that says that sesame seeds are excellent for the spirit, like motor oil for an engine.