Black sesame.

Black sesame seeds are small, flat and glossy black, with the seed coat left on. They taste deeper and more roasted than white sesame, with a slight bitter edge that turns pleasant once toasted. Ground, they make a dark grey paste that smells strongly of toasted nuts. In Thai and Chinese kitchens they show up most often in sweets, and a pinch on a plate of pale food makes it look finished.

Ways to use it

• Grind toasted seeds with sugar into a paste and wrap it in glutinous rice dough for sweet dumplings served in warm ginger syrup.
• Stir ground black sesame into warm milk or soy milk, or into a pudding.
• Sprinkle over steamed rice, cold noodles or a cucumber salad.
• Mix with white sesame and press onto tofu or fish before pan frying.
• Make a brittle with palm sugar and toasted seeds.

Toast them in a dry pan over low heat, shaking it often. You can't see black seeds change colour, so go by smell and sound: when they smell nutty and start to pop, take them off the heat and tip them onto a plate. A few seconds too long and they turn bitter.

Storing it

Keep the pack sealed in a cool, dry cupboard away from sunlight and heat. After opening, keep the seeds in a jar with a tight lid. Toasted or ground sesame is best used soon, so make only what you need.

Where it comes from

Grown to certified organic standards. The certificate for each lot is shown when you trace your pack.

Every pack will carry a lot code. Enter it on the Trace your pack page and you will see the farms in that lot, the packing date and the certificate.