Japan — sesame cultivation introduced from China and Korea; neri-goma production as a distinct condiment established during Japan's sesame oil culture from Heian period
Neri-goma (練り胡麻) is Japanese sesame paste, made by roasting white or black sesame seeds and grinding them to a smooth, thick paste. It differs from Middle Eastern tahini in roast level — Japanese neri-goma is typically made from more deeply roasted sesame, producing a more intense, nutty, slightly smoky flavour. It is the base of goma-dare (sesame dipping sauce) used for shabu-shabu and cold noodles, and is incorporated into dressings (goma ae), wagashi fillings, and ramen tare. Black sesame neri-goma (kurogoma neri-goma) produces the dramatically black wagashi filling used in kurogoma daifuku and kurogoma soft serve — its flavour is slightly more bitter and earthy than the white version. The technique for goma ae (dressed vegetables with sesame) requires grinding the sesame paste further with sugar and shoyu in a suribachi (Japanese mortar) until the oils from the sesame are released and the dressing becomes smooth and cohesive — a coarse paste does not adhere to vegetables uniformly. Premium neri-goma separates on standing (oil rises to top) — this is a sign of quality (no emulsifiers); stir before use.
Intensely nutty, roasted, slightly smoky with natural sweetness; rich, coating mouthfeel; in goma ae produces a warm, embracing dressing; in goma-dare adds richness and depth to dipping contexts
{"Deeper roast level than most tahini — produces more intense, nutty, slightly smoky flavour; different flavour register","Oil separation on standing is a quality indicator — no emulsifiers or stabilisers; stir thoroughly before each use","For goma ae: further grinding in suribachi with sugar and shoyu releases additional sesame oil for cohesive dressing texture","White vs black sesame paste: white is nutty and sweet; black is more bitter, earthy, and visually dramatic","Goma-dare for shabu-shabu: neri-goma thinned with dashi, mirin, rice vinegar, and a small amount of sesame oil — balance is everything"}
{"Making fresh neri-goma: toast white sesame seeds until fragrant (not browned), rest until cool, blend in high-power blender adding sesame oil sparingly until smooth","Goma dare ratio for shabu-shabu: 3 tbsp neri-goma : 2 tbsp dashi : 1 tbsp mirin : 1 tbsp rice vinegar : 1 tsp shoyu — thin to desired consistency","Kurogoma soft serve (black sesame ice cream): neri-goma kurogoma stirred into warm cream before churning — the fat content integrates smoothly","Add a tiny amount of white miso to goma ae — this is a Kyoto refinement that adds umami depth without being detectable as miso"}
{"Substituting tahini 1:1 — lighter roast and different flavour profile produces noticeably less intense goma ae or goma-dare","Skipping the suribachi grinding step for goma ae — paste and dressing ingredients remain separate; suribachi integration is functional, not optional","Not stirring separated neri-goma before use — the oil-rich top layer produces an oily, thin result; the dense bottom produces a dry paste","Over-dressing goma ae — vegetables should be lightly coated, not swimming in dressing; sesame paste is rich and coats well in small quantities"}
Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art (Shizuo Tsuji) / The Japanese Kitchen (Hiroko Shimbo)