Sesame Oil and Toasting — Cold-Pressed Korean (참기름 제조)

Sesame cultivation in Korea dates to antiquity; stone-grinding and pressing technology for sesame oil is documented throughout Korean history

Korean sesame oil (참기름, chamgireum) is produced by toasting white sesame seeds (Sesamum indicum) until golden-brown, then cold-pressing them to extract a deeply aromatic, amber oil. The toasting stage is the flavour-determining step: lightly toasted seeds produce a pale, mild oil; deeply toasted seeds produce the characteristic dark amber oil with intensely nutty, roasted aromatics that define Korean cooking. Sesame oil in Korean cuisine functions as a finishing flavour, not a cooking medium — it is added at the end of cooking or at the moment of serving, as its volatile aromatics are destroyed by heat.

Sesame oil is the last note in Korean cooking — the finishing touch on namul, jjigae, and rice dishes that signals the dish is complete. Its presence or absence in Korean cuisine is one of the most distinguishing aromatic differences from Chinese cooking.