Black Sesame "Sushi

What is black sesame?

The black sesame seed comes from an oleaginous plant of the Pedaliaceae family. It is also the best known plant of this family. To develop in the best conditions, the black sesame is cultivated in silty and acid soils. It hates sandy and alkaline soils. To date, black sesame plantations are mainly found in Africa and Asia, particularly in India. This seed is very present in the history of China, this country using it mainly for its various virtues.

What is the flavor of black sesame?

Black sesame has a full-bodied taste with notes of hazelnut. It is more intense than white sesame.

The harvest of black sesame in the plantations

The black sesame seed is a very small oval-shaped seed. It develops during 90 to 120 days without frost with an ideal temperature above 23 °. Very often, the seeds of the plants are harvested and then dried. However, sesame producers have a specific problem: the size of the seeds. Very small, they fly away easily when the wind rises. Therefore, they apply another method: harvesting the black sesame seeds when they are already dry. A tarpaulin is placed on the ground and the dried sesame plants that have turned yellow are cut with a sickle. These plants are tied together to form bundles that are placed vertically above the tarp and dried for one or two weeks. Then, these bunches are beaten in order to collect the black sesame seeds. These are then sifted to keep only the best seeds.

How to use black sesame in cooking?

In cooking, black sesame has long found its place in Asia and the Middle East. However, it can also be found in France in simple or more original recipes. For example, I recommend making a black sesame cream by mixing a glass of sesame oil and a glass of seeds and chopping it up. It can be eaten on toast with honey or incorporated into desserts (custards, ice cream, etc.). Of course, it can simply add a crunchy touch to your salads composed of green salad and smoked salmon or shrimps. Do you like Japanese cuisine? Make sushi and sprinkle it with black sesame. For dessert, make a delicious black sesame panna cotta, a fusion of Asian and Italian cuisine. You will need sesame paste (which you can make yourself by mixing 200 g of black sesame, 1 teaspoon of powdered sugar, a teaspoon of sesame oil and a pinch of salt), full cream, milk, agave syrup and Agar Agar.

The conservation of the black sesame

The black sesame seed is delivered in a resealable airtight bag to be kept preferably away from light and moisture.