Gomashio is a Japanese condiment made from toasted sesame seeds and salt, used in Japanese and Korean cuisine. It is considered nutritious and is often used in macrobiotic diets. Sesame seeds are rich in nutrients and may have additional health benefits. Gomashio can be used as a condiment or combined with other ingredients to make furikake. Sesame seeds are among the earliest seeds grown for food and have a long history of use in various cultures.
Gomashio is a condiment made from a blend of toasted sesame seeds and salt. It is typically used in preparing Japanese cuisine. It is also used in Korea, where it is called kaesogum. Goma in Japanese means sesame seeds and ghio means salt. Gomashio is also known as gomasio and is considered very nutritious by some who eat macrobiotic diets.
Macrobiotics is a way of eating that typically emphasizes whole grains such as brown rice paired with beans, nuts or seeds. These combinations are often called complete proteins, and one serving is thought to contain more protein than an equal amount of meat. Some macrobiotic followers claim that gomashio and rice are almost a nutritious meal.
The sesame salt blend may have additional health benefits as well. Sesame seeds are thought to contain many nutrients such as iron, copper and magnesium. They are also thought to be very rich in calcium. Traditional Japanese folk remedies include a migraine cure of gomashio dissolved in a cup of hot water. Magnesium is now thought to be a muscle relaxant that can relieve tension headaches.
In traditional Japanese cooking, however, gomashio is considered more of a condiment than a large part of any meal. Gomashio can be made with black or tan colored sesame seeds. The ratio of sesame seeds to salt varies, but is usually five parts sesame seeds to one part salt. It can then be combined with other ingredients such as roasted seaweed, called nori, and sugar to make furikake, a dry rice-based condiment. Furikake can be sprinkled on any food. It is translated into English as dusting and shaking.
There are several ways to prepare gomashio. One way to prepare the seasoning is to grind sesame seeds using a suribachi, a traditional Japanese mortar and pestle. For making large batches, it’s best to leave the seeds whole so you don’t risk the sesame seed oil going rancid before you’ve consumed all of the gomashio. Another way to do this is by roasting the salt as well.
Sesame seeds are thought to have originated in Africa and are among the earliest seeds grown for food. Sesame seeds were used to make flour in ancient Egypt and ground into a paste and spread on bread by the Romans. In the Middle East, za’atar is the name for a blend of sesame seeds, salt, and herbs.
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