Just sprinkle it over finished dishes and it makes just about anything even better: Gomasio. Composed of the goma (the Japanese word for sesame) and shio (salt), this condiment is an essential ingredient in Japanese and Korean cuisine (where it’s called Kkaesogeum). It's easy to make and great for salads, soups and vegetable dishes. We used it in our recipe for oven roasted asparagus with magnolia.
1 cup sesame seeds 1 tbsp coarse sea salt
Toast the salt in a pan over medium heat to remove any moisture. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Toast the sesame seeds in the pan until they start to pop. The seeds should be evenly browned and should crumble between your fingers when rubbed. Place the seeds in a bowl and allow to cool. Grind the sesame seeds and salt in a mortar, not too finely. Fill into a screw-top jar. If kept dry, the gomasio will keep for at least a month.