Ground. The hull resists digestion, so whole seeds are mostly texture.

How do I toast them without burning?

Dry pan, medium heat, keep moving; they go from nutty to bitter in under a minute.

Is black sesame oil the same thing?

No — the oil is pressed, the seeds are eaten. Different uses entirely.

Black sesame

Sesamum indicum

Black sesame is a seed used mostly in pastes, powders and sweets. It is roasted before use, and ground, because whole seeds pass straight through.

What it is

Small flat black seeds with a nutty aroma once toasted. Hulled white sesame is the same plant with the coat removed; the black version is used for colour and flavour in Chinese sweets.

How it is used

Toasted dry, then ground with a little salt as a rice topping.
Pounded into a paste with honey for a spoonable breakfast.
Sprinkled over steamed buns or biscuits.

Choosing and keeping

How to choose	Buy in small quantities. A fresh seed is glossy and smells nutty; stale seed smells of old oil.
How to store	Cool and dark, tightly closed. Ground sesame goes rancid in weeks — grind what you will use.
When it belongs	All year, but heaviest in the winter kitchen.
Pairs with	Chinese yam, walnut, red date, honey.
Where ours comes from	Henan and Anhui; roasted and ground in Xi'an.

Questions

Whole or ground?: Ground. The hull resists digestion, so whole seeds are mostly texture.
How do I toast them without burning?: Dry pan, medium heat, keep moving; they go from nutty to bitter in under a minute.
Is black sesame oil the same thing?: No — the oil is pressed, the seeds are eaten. Different uses entirely.

Updated 2026-10-31 · Written and reviewed by the Yaowang Heritage kitchen team. Sources: our own cultivation and processing records; our story for the Taibai Mountain and Tongchuan sites. Ordering and specifications are on the product pages.