Japan — sesame introduced from China; roasted sesame tradition fully naturalised in Japanese cooking
Sesame (goma, 胡麻) permeates Japanese cooking in three principal forms: roasted white sesame (shiro goma); roasted black sesame (kuro goma); and sesame oil (goma abura). Unlike the raw sesame seeds used in Middle Eastern cuisines (for tahini), Japanese sesame is almost always toasted — the roasting develops the oils into aromatic compounds (pyrazines, furans) that give Japanese sesame its distinctively nutty, toasted character absent from raw sesame. White sesame is milder and sweeter; black sesame is more intensely aromatic and slightly bitter. Applications: gomaae sauce (ground sesame + soy + mirin + sugar — the quintessential sesame vegetable dressing); goma-dare (sesame-based dipping sauce for shabu-shabu and cold noodles); as a topping for rice, noodles, and vegetables; in confectionery (goma daifuku, goma ice cream, sesame brittle); and as a coating for fried items. Sesame oil is used as a finishing oil (never a cooking fat) — added at the very end of preparations for aroma.
Toasted white sesame: warm, nutty, sweet; toasted black sesame: more intense, slightly bitter aromatic notes; sesame oil: powerfully aromatic, smoke and roast notes — all three forms add a specifically Japanese sesame character distinct from untoasted sesame
Roast sesame briefly in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant and just beginning to pop — pre-roasted commercial sesame often lacks the intensity of fresh-roasted; grind roasted sesame in a suribachi until the oil releases and the paste becomes smooth before adding other sauce components; sesame oil (goma abura) is for finishing aroma only — its low smoke point and strong flavour make it unsuitable for high-heat cooking; store ground sesame and opened sesame oil in the refrigerator to prevent oxidation.
The gomaae formula: toast white sesame in a dry pan until fragrant (2–3 minutes over medium heat), transfer to suribachi, grind until cohesive and fragrant, add 2 tablespoons soy + 1 tablespoon mirin + 1 tablespoon sugar, grind until smooth; black sesame goma daifuku: grind black sesame to paste, mix with sugar and a small amount of salt, use as filling for soft white mochi — the visual contrast of black filling with white exterior is as important as the flavour; fresh-ground sesame paste (ne-goma, similar to tahini) can be made by extending the suribachi process.
Using raw sesame without toasting first (the distinctive Japanese sesame flavour comes entirely from the toasting process); burning sesame seeds (they go from perfectly toasted to burned in seconds — constant attention required); using sesame oil for stir-frying (it burns and becomes bitter — use neutral oil for cooking, sesame oil only for finishing); storing sesame oil at room temperature for extended periods (the polyunsaturated fats oxidise rapidly — refrigerate after opening).
Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art — Shizuo Tsuji