Gomashio (Toasted Sesame Salt)

Sharon123's Note:

I have been making this for years and it is my husband's favorite seasoning! Great over brown rice! Gomashio is a macrobiotic seasoning and is said to de-acidify the blood. Eating too much acidic foods is said to cause many diseases. Gomashio is said to strengthen digestion and improve energy immediately. It is claimed to be healing for all blood related diseases, including diabetes and cancer. I don't know too much about that, but it is delicious and we eat it all the time! I find the unhulled sesame seeds at the health food store.

• Total Time: 7 mins
• Prep Time: 2 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 2 cups

• 2 cups unhulled brown sesame seeds
• 3 tablespoons sea salt (the traditional ratio is 15 parts sesame seeds to 1 part sea salt, but you could use 12 to 1 or some)

Directions:

1. In a heavy skillet (cast iron is best), toast salt until it turns a grey color. Set aside.
2. Toast the 2 cups sesame seeds, stirring constantly, till they start popping and turn a nice brown.
3. Watch them closely, or they will burn!
4. The traditional way to grind them is with a mortar and pestle,just until the seeds crack open and release their oils.
5. The texture should be light and sandy.
6. They should ultimately be 95% crushed.
7. Because I do not currently own a mortar and pestle, I have put them in the blender and whiz them a few times till blended thoroughly. Update: now I use a coffee grinder or a food processor to grind.
8. Store gomasio in a tightly closed glass jar, keep in a cool dry place.
9. DO NOT REFRIGERATE! (Update: after 6 months I did refrigerate and it's still good!).
10. I have kept this for over 6 months without spoiling.
11. This is delicious over brown rice, salad, baked potatoes, veggies, almost anything!
12. Enjoy!

Reviews

[Dreamer in Ontario]

Finally, I found brown sesame seeds in an Asian grocery. Thankyou for this wonderful seasoning. So far, I've tried it on fried rice and on chicken. and just love it. It did take me more than 7 minutes to make, maybe because I didn't have the heat on high enough. I also decided to use my blender rather than my mortar and pestle. Made for Photo Tag.

[Marmie's]

just to let you know...amazing in Hummus Hummus by Charisma Ramshandni I skipped the salt and tahini and used gomashio! YUMMY

[luvmybge]

Delicious on everything. It took me quite a while to get the salt to turn any other color than white. Maybe because I used Kosher salt.