Sesame Seeds

There are two kinds of sesame seeds used in Japanese cooking: white and black. White sesame (shiro goma) comes to market in two forms, hulled and unhulled. The unhulled seeds are a beige color and tend to have a nuttier flavor than the hulled ones. The smooth, cream-colored hulled seeds crush more easily to make a rich paste. Black sesame (kuro goma) has medicinal uses (in salves and ointments for the skin) as well as culinary ones in Japan. It is the black seeds from which dark aromatic sesame oil is pressed.