Description

This amber colored, aromatic oil, made from pressed and toasted sesame seeds, is a popular ingredient in Chinese cooking. Not for use as a cooking oil, however, as the flavor is too intense and it burns quite easily. Instead, sesame oil is normally added as a flavoring agent in the final stages of cooking. Sesame oil has been used since ancient times; the Babylonians cultivated sesame seeds for their oil, and the Persians used it as both a food and medicine. It is still used in holistic preparations for everything from treating infections to stimulating brain activity. Thick, amber-colored, and aromatic, dark sesame oil is made from roasted sesame seeds. Dark sesame oil burns easily and loses flavor when overheated, so it is used mostly as a condiment or flavoring for dressings, soups, and stir-frys. It is available at Asian groceries and well stocked supermarkets.