Oil pressed from sesame seeds, available in light and dark varieties, with dark sesame oil being toasted and intensely flavored. A cornerstone of East Asian cuisine used primarily as a flavoring agent.
From Greek 'sesamon' (sesame) and Latin 'oleum' (oil). Sesame was one of humanity's first cultivated oilseeds, with evidence of sesame oil production dating back 4,000 years in the Indus Valley.
Dark sesame oil is so potent that just a few drops can transform an entire dish - it's like the vanilla extract of Asian cooking! Ancient Assyrians believed sesame oil was a gift from the gods, and the phrase 'Open Sesame' from Arabian Nights refers to sesame pods that burst open when ripe.
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