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Condiments · 15 min

Gomasio

The sesame salt of macrobiotic cooking. Toasted sesame seeds ground with a little salt, to sprinkle on dishes, from mild to saltier.

Adapted from Ruxandra Niță, Gourmandelle

Prep
10 min
Cook
5 min
Total
15 min
Difficulty
easy

Ingredients

Serves 18

  • 18 tbsp sesame seeds, raw
  • 1 tbsp natural salt

Steps

  1. Heat a skillet over medium heat, preferably a cast iron one.
  2. Add the salt (sea salt, Himalayan or any other natural salt). Move it around the skillet for about a minute, then remove it from the heat and put it in a large mortar.
  3. Put the skillet back on the stove and add the sesame seeds.
  4. Heat the sesame seeds for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until they start to crack. Taste them to see if they are ready. If they are dry and burst with flavor, they are done. If not, heat them a little longer. Be careful not to burn them.
  5. Remove from the heat. Add the sesame seeds to the mortar and grind them a little, not too much.
  6. Store in an airtight container or jar, preferably in the fridge, or in a cool, dry place in the pantry.

Tips

Salt ratios

  • 18 parts sesame to 1 part salt, the ratio of this recipe. Mildly salty, it is the macrobiotic everyday ratio George Ohsawa recommended. Start with it and adjust to taste.
  • 15 parts sesame to 1 part salt, the traditional ratio according to Food.com.
  • 10 parts sesame to 1 part salt, for a saltier condiment.
  • 5 parts sesame to 1 part salt, the saltiest end of the 5:1 to 15:1 range given by Wikipedia.

Tips

  • Toast the seeds until they pop, then grind them to a coarse, sandy texture, not a paste.

Storage

  • 2 to 3 weeks at room temperature, in a small glass jar with a tight lid, away from direct light. After that, the oils of the ground sesame begin to oxidize.
  • Up to 6 weeks in the fridge.
  • Make small batches so it stays fresh and the sesame oils don't go rancid.