sesame oil
Also known as: Sesame oil - Toasted, Toasted Sesame Oil
Oil pressed from sesame seeds, sold in two distinct forms: toasted sesame oil is dark, strongly nutty, and aromatic, used sparingly as a finishing oil rather than a cooking fat, while untoasted (light) sesame oil is pale, mild, and neutral enough for actual cooking. The two are not interchangeable -- toasted sesame oil also has a lower smoke point and turns bitter if used for high-heat cooking.
Buying guidance
Check the label for 'toasted' -- it's usually the darker bottle and is meant to be added at the end of cooking or drizzled on, not used to saute. Buy a small bottle if it's used only occasionally, since its strong aroma fades noticeably faster than neutral oils once opened.
Substitutions
- A neutral oil plus toasted sesame seeds stirred in -- adds some nuttiness without the full aroma; not a workable substitute for untoasted sesame oil in cooking.
- Any neutral cooking oil, such as vegetable or canola -- the standard swap for untoasted sesame oil; loses the faint nuttiness but works fine as a cooking fat.
Tips & common mistakes
Toasted sesame oil's nutty aroma comes from compounds that break down with sustained heat, so even adding it 'at the end' loses much of its character if the pan is still very hot -- turn the heat off, or down to very low, before stirring it in so the aroma actually survives into the dish.
Storage
Toasted sesame oil turns rancid faster than neutral cooking oils once opened, developing a flat, slightly stale smell instead of its usual nuttiness -- refrigerating it after opening slows this considerably and is worth doing even though the oil may thicken or turn cloudy when cold; it clears again once it's back at room temperature.