How to Use Sesame Oil

Sesame oil is used in cooking, alternative medicine and for industrial applications. Sesame oil can be classified into three groups: cold pressed, which is clear in color; Indian, which is golden; and Chinese, which has a dark brown color. The darker colors are attributed to the roasting process, while cold pressed is processed from fresh harvested seeds. Indian and Chinese sesame oil can be purchased from many grocery and ethnic stores, while cold pressed sesame oil can be found at most health food stores.

Things You'll Need

• Cold Pressed sesame oil Indian sesame oil Chinese sesame oil

Instructions

1. Use any type of sesame seed oil as the oil in salad dressing recipes. Cold pressed oil will take on the flavor of other ingredients, while the darker Indian and Chinese each will add a flavor of their own to the recipe.

2. Use cold pressed sesame seed oil for deep frying. It has a high smoke threshold and imparts little or no flavor to the food being cooked.

3. Use Indian or Chinese sesame oil for stir fry. Both will add a nutty, roasted taste to the vegetables being cooked.

4. Sauté fish, seafood or chicken in Chinese sesame oil for an Asian take on traditional pan frying.

5. Add one teaspoon of cold pressed or roasted sesame oil to smoothies or other shake-like drinks. Sesame oil is high in anti-oxidants and is one of the "good" fats to add to your diet.

Tips & Warnings

• Indian sesame oil is used in Ayur-Vedic medicine believed to help with sleeping problems and for darkening hair and preventing hair loss for those who rub the oil into their scalp. Sesame plants are believed to have been cultivated for thousands of years. Sesame oil is used in the manufacture of cosmetics and perfumes. Many manufacturers of margarine use refined sesame oil as an ingredient.

References

• Food, Industrial, Nutraceutical, and Pharmaceutical Uses of Sesame Genetic Resources, by J. Bradley Morris, Purdue University