Roasted Sesame Seeds

My family’s pantry was rarely without sesame seeds, which act as flavor, texture, aroma, and aesthetic. My mom would keep a jar of roasted seeds, refilling as needed, and sprinkle these crunchy, toasty bites over almost every dish—sweet or savory. We’d have them on dumplings, noodles, and bread just as soon as we’d have them with sweet, sticky rice cakes. Coarsely crush them after roasting to open up the flavor components and then use them as quickly as possible.