雜貨舖THE GROCER
Sesame paste
芝麻醬
Toasted white sesame ground to a thick, dark brown paste, nuttier and more roasted than Middle Eastern tahini. At a hotpot it is thinned into the sesame saucer, mixed into the northern sesame-and-peanut sauce, or stirred by the teaspoon into sha cha; it also dresses cold noodles. The oil separates and rises in the jar, so stir it back in before use.
Cautions: read first
- Contains sesame, a mandatory-declaration allergen in Australia; some jarred sesame pastes have peanut added, so anyone allergic to peanut should read the label.
- Once opened, keep it somewhere cool, and in the fridge in hot weather; use a clean, dry spoon.
Preparation
Thin it with warm water or broth in three additions, stirring each one in before the next; it thickens first, then turns smooth.
Origin
Northern China. Chinese sesame paste is on the sauce shelf at Asian grocers; supermarket tahini will stand in, paler in flavour, with a few drops of toasted sesame oil to bring it closer.
Availability in Australia
Easy to find
