Know your roasted sesame oil

The third part in a series from Harvest, helping you get the best from your cooking oils

Intensely flavoured, nutty and aromatic, roasted sesame oil is an absolute mainstay in the Asian kitchen. Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Southern Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines all depend upon it. It more than deserves a place in your pantry too.

The sesame seeds used to make Harvest Roasted Sesame Oil come from Malaysia, where they are roasted, then pressed, to create a rich, darkly coloured oil.

Primarily used for finishing, roasted (or toasted — it is the same thing) sesame oil is used for marinades, in braising liquids, dipping sauces and dressings, to drizzle over soup at serving time and, of course, as a must-have ingredient in noodle dishes, fried rice and meat or vegetable stir-fries.

It can overpower if too liberally splashed in to a dish, so go easy. Roasted sesame oil is also unsuitable for deep-frying when used on its own. It is more useful in general cooking and is often combined with other vegetable oils which helps raise the smoke point. Untoasted, lightly coloured and neutral-flavoured types, which have a higher smoke point, may be used for deep-frying.

Use Harvest Roasted Sesame Oil to add flavour to vegetable dishes like the roasted sesame broccoli recipe, below. Try it brushed on vegetables before grilling; add it to the oil used to fry tempura for an extra layer of flavour and add a little when cooking an Asian-style omelette. Delicious.

Harvest Roasted Sesame Oil is rich in vitamin E and heart-friendly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Because of its antioxidants, it is not prone to turning rancid and will keep for many months at room temperature in a dark dry place. Alternatively, store it in the fridge.

Roasted sesame broccoli

2 medium-sized broccoli heads, florets separated
2 Tbsp Harvest Roasted Sesame Oil
2 Tbsp Harvest Canola Oil
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp honey, optional, for extra flavour
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
2 Tbsp sesame seeds

1. Heat oven to 230C. Line an oven tray with baking paper and spread the broccoli over it.
2. Using a small bowl, stir together all the remaining ingredients except the sesame seeds. Pour the mixture over the broccoli and toss to give an even coat. Add the sesame seeds on top of the broccoli. Stir to get an even spread.
3. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until it starts browning. Serve while hot. Serves 5 as a side dish