How to cook sesame oil

Extracted from the oily seeds of the sesame plant, sesame oil is a flavorful, nutty-tasting, and aromatic oil. Although all sesame oils are rich in flavor, taste and smell range in intensity. Lighter-colored oil is milder in flavor, and darker oil is made from toasted sesame seeds and has a more intense flavor. For serious cooks, darker oil is considered the most desirable.

Sesame oil is widely used as an accent in Middle Eastern, Asian, and Indian cuisine. It is high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat, and it is low in saturated fat. It is used mostly to accent flavor and aroma and is used less often for frying because it burns easily.

How to cook sesame oil

Generally, sesame oil’s strong flavor means that it is often added to other, less intense oils in cooking. Purchase sesame oil in glass or metal containers because it goes rancid more quickly in plastic. Sesame oil keeps for about a month in a cool place.

Serving suggestions

Drizzle sesame oil lightly over dishes just after cooking. A small amount adds a distinct flavor and aroma.