Sesame Seeds

I use white sesame seeds. Black ones have a stronger sesame taste and are more visually exciting, but all the recipes in this book work fine with white. When buying sesame seeds, look for airtight packages and refrigerate the seeds in an airtight container after opening.

You will want to toast your sesame seeds; even if you have purchased seeds labeled roasted, they still need to be toasted to bring out the best flavor. To toast, heat a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the sesame seeds and heat, shaking the pan often to move the seeds around in it, until the seeds are golden and are releasing a heady sesame aroma, after only 3 to 4 minutes. Immediately pour the toasted seeds onto a plate to cool, as they can go quickly from nicely toasted to irretrievably burned.