胡麻油(ごまあぶら)

胡麻油(ごまあぶら) is oil extracted from sesame seeds, widely used in East Asian cooking. Also commonly written as ごま油(あぶら) or ゴマ油(あぶら).

Types

• 焙煎(ばいせん)ごま油(あぶら): roasted sesame oil — dark brown, strong nutty aroma, used as a finishing flavoring
• 太白(たいはく)ごま油(あぶら): unroasted sesame oil — light, mild, used for general cooking and frying

Usage

The roasted variety is most common in Japanese home cooking. It is typically drizzled over dishes at the end of cooking to preserve its aroma (香(かお)り). A key seasoning in Chinese (中華料理(ちゅうかりょうり)) and Korean (韓国料理(かんこくりょうり)) cuisine as well.

Common expressions

• 胡麻油(ごまあぶら)で炒(いた)める: to stir-fry in sesame oil
• 胡麻油(ごまあぶら)を回(まわ)しかける: to drizzle sesame oil (in a circular motion)