Sesame cultivation and pressing in Japan traces to the Nara period (710–794 CE) through Buddhist influence; neri goma specifically emerged as a culinary ingredient in kaiseki and shojin ryori contexts where nut-based fats compensated for the absence of animal products; Kyoto's sesame paste producers (Wadaman and others) have been operating since the Edo period
Neri goma (練り胡麻 — 'kneaded sesame') is Japanese pure sesame paste — equivalent in function to Middle Eastern tahini but produced through a different process that creates a different flavour profile. Japanese sesame for neri goma is typically toasted to a deeper level than tahini production, producing a more intensely nutty, slightly bitter paste with rich Maillard aromatic compounds absent from lightly toasted Middle Eastern sesame. White sesame (shiro goma) produces a light, creamy paste used for salad dressings (goma ae), noodle sauces, and tofu-based preparations. Black sesame (kuro goma) paste is deeper, more intensely bitter-nutty, used for wagashi (black sesame mochi, kurogoma ice cream) and as a striking visual element in plated dishes. Neri goma is the foundation of: goma-dare (sesame dipping sauce for shabu-shabu), kuro goma dressing (black sesame noodles), goma miso sauce (sesame-miso paste for dengaku and aemono), and the tahini-parallel role in Japanese macrobiotic cooking. The paste separates on storage (oil rises) — stir thoroughly before use or warm briefly.
Sesame paste's flavour is dominated by Maillard reaction products from deep toasting — pyrazines, furans, and thiazoles that create the nutty-roasted register; the sesame oil (60–65% content) carries these aromatic compounds and also contributes linoleic acid's slightly sweet, nutty background flavour; this oil fraction is what makes sesame-dressed aemono taste rich without added fat
Deeper toasting than tahini creates distinctly Japanese flavour profile (more intense, slightly bitter, strong Maillard aromatic); oil separation is normal — stir before use; white versus black sesame are categorically different flavour profiles; neri goma must be diluted with dashi, soy, or liquid before using as sauce — undiluted paste is not a sauce; small additions of goma dramatically amplify umami in vegetable dishes.
Shabu-shabu goma-dare: dilute neri goma 1:1 with dashi, add mirin, soy, rice vinegar, and ponzu to taste; consistency should coat a spoon lightly; goma miso: combine 3 parts white miso + 1 part neri goma + mirin + sake — this is the dengaku sauce and the base for many vegetable dressings; kuro goma wagashi: grind kuro goma with sugar to a paste, wrap in mochi — the sesame must be ground very fine for smooth mochi filling.
Substituting tahini for neri goma without adjustment — Middle Eastern tahini is lighter and slightly more bitter from raw sesame versus deep-toasted Japanese; using pre-made goma-dare without tasting and adjusting — commercial versions are often over-sweetened; not warming thick paste before diluting — cold neri goma clumps when liquid is added.
Tsuji, Shizuo — Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art; Andoh, Elizabeth — Kansha