What is the difference between sesame oil and sesame seed oil

It makes the nuttiness more intense. But this added flavor makes toasted sesame oil better for finishing than cooking.

It has a lower smoke point than regular sesame oil, which we use for shallow frying or roasting, mostly the same way we would use a neutral oil like canola or grapeseed. Think of it like bread. Well, obviously. But think about the difference. If you were go toast a piece of toast again, those flavors would continue to develop, getting more intense, until you were faced with gnarly, bitter, burnt bread.

The same goes for sesame oil. Since toasted sesame oil has already developed flavor, heating it again will make it taste burnt and slightly bitter. Use toasted sesame oil to coat cooked udon. The oil has a smoke point of approximately degrees Fahrenheit, suitable for most cooking purposes. The sesame meal left behind after the oil is removed is also a commercially important product, edible for humans but generally sold as animal fodder.

Some processors also manufacture a cold-pressed version of sesame oil for the upscale gourmet retail market. This process doesn't heat the seeds but instead crushes them at room temperature in an impeller. The cold-pressed oil is favored by raw food advocates, who feel that heating makes the sesame oil -- and most other foods -- less healthful. Its flavor is even lighter than the taste of conventional sesame oil, but its smoke point is lower.

Less-refined cold-pressed sesame oil smokes at approximately degrees Fahrenheit, rendering it unsuitable for frying. Toasted sesame oil is visibly different from the regular variety, with a deep, dark red-brown color reminiscent of coffee or soy sauce. While the regular oil production process gently heats the seeds to no more than degrees Fahrenheit, the seeds used for toasted oil are thoroughly browned at a temperature of degrees Fahrenheit for up to a half-hour.

It's at once delicate and complex, since heating the seeds before extracting the oil enhances their taste just as toasting nuts , spices, and seeds before cooking with them draws out their flavors. Darker in color than regular sesame oil, toasted sesame oil is pricier, too, but a little goes a long way. Don't use it for frying; since it already has such rich flavor, heating it again will give it a burnt, slightly bitter taste.

Instead, drizzle it sparingly over foods, as a condiment, just before serving them. Think: fried rice , noodle soups, stir-fries , and steamed vegetables. It's also wonderful in Asian sauces and salad dressings. By Lynn Andriani March 29, Save Pin More.