Toasted sesame seeds can be used in many recipes, and sprinkled on any type of dish they add an extra touch of flavor and crunch. Toasting raw sesame seeds is very quick and easy, but it needs constant control to prevent them from getting burned.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Quick Roasting
Step 1. Toast them on the stove
If there is no dust and small debris among the seeds, you can toast them directly using a cast iron pan or pan with a high, non-stick bottom. Use medium-low heat and toast the seeds for about 2-3 minutes or until they turn golden and shiny and start popping.
- Do not add oil to the pan.
- To extract a more intense nutty flavor, use the more intense roasting method.
Step 2. Toast the seeds in the oven
As an alternative to pan roasting, you can preheat the oven to 175 ° C and pour the seeds to be toasted into the bottom of a clean baking sheet. Cook the seeds until lightly browned. Gently shake the pan every few minutes so that the heat can be distributed evenly. Roasting in the oven normally takes 8-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the layer of seeds present in the pan.
- Use a high-sided baking tray to prevent seeds from leaking out during cooking.
- Sesame seeds can burn very quickly when the heat is too high. Stay in the kitchen and check for cooking regularly.
Step 3. Cool the seeds
When roasting is complete, transfer the seeds to a cold baking sheet and let them cool until they reach room temperature. Sesame seeds cool much faster on contact with a metal surface, rather than a plastic or glass one.
Method 2 of 3: Extended Roasting
Step 1. Choose raw sesame seeds, with or without the outer coating
Whole sesame seeds have a leathery outer layer with a whitish to black color. Sesame seeds deprived of the outer layer always have a very white hue and appear translucent and bright. You can toast both whole seeds and those already peeled, knowing that the whole seeds are more crunchy and take on a slightly different flavor. Whole seeds are also more nutritious, containing a greater amount of calcium, although more difficult to digest unless you decide to grind them, in which case the nutritional values will become the same as those of the seeds without the outer skin.
By soaking the whole seeds in water overnight, you will be able to remove the outer shell by hand, although it is a long and laborious process that can hardly be done at home. Both types of sesame seeds can be found in food stores that sell Asian products, but today they are also starting to be found in normal supermarkets without great difficulty
Step 2. Wash the seeds
Rinse them under cold running water using a very fine sieve. Extend the rinse until the waste water is perfectly clear. If the seeds come directly from a farm or are particularly dirty, it may be useful to transfer them to a bowl full of water, mix them for a few minutes and let them rest. It eliminates all the impurities that emerge on the surface of the water and all the small debris that settle on the bottom.
Rinsing has no negative effect on the nutritional intake of sesame seeds. Some people prefer to soak the seeds overnight so they can germinate, thus increasing the digestibility of some of their nutrients. Sprouted seeds are usually eaten raw rather than roasted
Step 3. Heat the seeds using intense heat until they are dry
Transfer the washed seeds to a cast iron or deep-bottomed skillet and heat them over a high heat. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon while checking the cooking constantly: sesame seeds, in fact, burn very quickly when using very high heat. This step should take approximately 10 minutes. When the seeds are completely dry, they take on a different appearance from the previous one, as well as modify the sound they generate in the pan when they are mixed. At that point, moreover, on the bottom of the pan you will no longer notice any trace of humidity.
Step 4. Reduce the heat to a medium level
Keep stirring occasionally for another 7-8 minutes. When the seeds are fully roasted, they appear slightly golden, shiny and start to crackle.
Collect some seeds using the spoon and try to squeeze them between your fingers. Toasted sesame seeds can be ground into a powder and have a much more intense nutty flavor than raw ones
Step 5. Let the seeds cool and save them for use
Transfer the seeds to a cold baking sheet and let them cool until they have reached room temperature. Store unused seeds in the refrigerator or freezer immediately after placing them in an airtight container.
Sesame seeds can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer for more than a year. Obviously, however, their flavor will diminish over time. To revive the flavor of the seeds after storage, toast them again for a few minutes
Method 3 of 3: Use Roasted Sesame Seeds
Step 1. Spread them on the finished plates
Sesame seeds are a basic element of oriental and non-oriental cuisines, from Korea to Lebanon. Spread the toasted seeds on vegetable or rice dishes, salads and desserts.
- If you wish, you can grind the seeds using a food processor, blender or mortar, depending on your preference. If you want a finer and more uniform powder, use a food processor. Use the blender to make great smoothies to which you can add sesame seeds for a nice crunchy touch. Use a mortar and pestle instead if you want a coarser grind.
- You can make your own dressing by mixing sesame seeds with sugar, salt or black pepper.
Step 2. Turn them into tahini.
The only additional ingredient you need, besides sesame seeds, is vegetable oil. Extra virgin olive oil is the traditional choice and adds its unmistakable aroma to the flavor of the sauce. Alternatively, you can use sesame seed oil for an even more intense final flavor. To make the tahini sauce, simply pour the seeds into a food processor and blend them, adding a tablespoon of oil at a time, until the consistency of the sauce becomes smooth and thick.
The next step is to use the tahini sauce to make a great hummus
Step 3. Use sesame seeds to make delicious desserts
Toasted sesame seeds lend a delicious flavor to cookies and can be easily added to gluten-free sweet preparations. In many parts of the world, roasted sesame seeds are cooked with butter, sugar, or honey to create slightly sticky treats.
Step 4. Use the seeds in other recipes
Try adding a pinch of seeds to your homemade falafel. When stir-frying vegetables or preparing a quick recipe, add a few teaspoons of them just before you finish cooking. Add sesame seeds to your salads for a nice crunchy and flavorful note.
