Sesame seeds have a mild nutty and earthy odour and their flavour increases once they are lightly dry-roasted and a slight coffee aroma develops as the colour darkens. The pre-roasted seed colour varies from off-white, pale gold, red, brown or black. These paler seeds are used in the tahini paste and halva sweetmeats of the Middle East, added to rice balls and prawn toast in Chinese cuisine and decorate breads in Europe and the USA as and in making Caribbean Sesame Seed brittle. They also form part of the spice mixes Za’atar and Japanese Seven-spice. Black Sesame is often used in China to coat items like deep-fried bananas and in Japan they are used as a sprinkle, often combined with coarse salt in the condiment Goma Shio, which is sprinkled over vegetables, salads and rice dishes.
