How to Make Toasted Sesame Seeds, a Great Condiment

Toasted sesame seeds make a great condiment for salads, fish, chicken and, really, almost anything. Just a small amount adds flavor, crunch and a lot of nutrients (manganese, copper, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, etc.) to food.

Toasted sesame seeds are simple to make at home. Put some raw sesame seeds (organic, if possible) on a cookie sheet or aluminum foil and toast or bake at 350 in a toaster or regular oven for about 10 minutes, or until the seeds start to brown and become fragrant. Be sure to mix the seeds during cooking so some seeds (or sides of seeds) don't burn.

Loose raw organic sesame seeds are usually available in the bulk section of health food or other progressive food markets. I buy them for $3.50 per pound, (about $0.20 per ounce), a fraction of what jarred sesame seeds found in the bottled spices section of the market cost.

After you toast the seeds, store them in a small jar; I use an old coriander spice jar that, conveniently, has a shaker top.