toasted sesame seeds

Even though this cake is packed full of dates, bananas and tahini (also known as tahini paste in Britain), it’s surprisingly soft and light. You can serve it warm, if you like, with the tahini cream cheese and bananas alongside, although it’s worth the wait, if you can, for it to cool so that it can be assembled as a cake. A note on tahini: We always use tahini from one of the Arabic brands, which tend to be creamy and nutty (as opposed to a Greek or Cypriot tahini, which can be bitter and sticky). But it's also worth seeking out local or artisanal brands closer to home. Always be sure your tahini is well stirred before measuring.

Sesame, Date and Banana Cake

tahini

orange juice (from 1 large orange)

bananas (8 ounces 240 grams), thinly sliced

sesame seeds

unsalted butter

granulated sugar

eggs,

all-purpose flour (plain flour), sifted

baking powder

salt

cream

lightly packed light brown sugar (soft sugar)

banana,

Demerara sugar

date syrup, for drizzling

Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit/200 degrees Celsius. Grease an 8-inch/20-centimeter aluminum springform cake pan with butter, and line the base and sides with parchment paper.

Make the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together tahini and orange juice, and then stir in dates, bananas and sesame seeds, separating the date and banana pieces as you add them to the bowl so they don't clump together. Set aside.

Put butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and mix on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, in two additions, until combined, scraping the bowl down as needed.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt, then add to the stand mixer bowl and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, just to combine. Add tahini-date mixture with the speed still on low and mix until blended, then spoon the batter into the cake pan and smooth the top.

Transfer cake to oven and bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Without removing it from the oven, carefully cover the cake loosely with aluminum foil. Continue to bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake is cooked through and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside to cool in the pan on a wire rack.

While the cake is baking, make the icing: Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk for 1 to 2 minutes, on medium speed, until combined and airy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed to mix thoroughly. Set aside until cake has cooled.

Make the caramelized bananas: Heat broiler on its highest setting, with a rack placed about 4 inches/10 centimeters beneath the heat source. Arrange banana slices closely together on a small baking pan and sprinkle generously with sugar. Broil bananas for 2 to 3 minutes, until sugar has melted and caramelized. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

To assemble, remove the cake from the pan and transfer to a plate. Spread icing generously over the top of the cake. Arrange the caramelized bananas on top, then drizzle with date syrup.

Toasted sesame seeds are crunchier and have a nuttier flavor! They're great for topping noodles, veggies &amp; more. Here's how to toast sesame seeds two ways.

How to Toast Sesame Seeds

sesame seeds (or any quantity;

Stovetop method

Place the seeds in a dry skillet (no oil) over medium heat. Heat, shaking the pan and stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the seeds are fragrant and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Stay at the stove because the seeds can easily burn! Remove immediately from the heat and transfer to a plate to stop the cooking.

Oven method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the seeds on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for about 4 to 5 minutes until fragrant and golden brown, stirring once. Do not stray far from the oven, since the seeds can go from toasted to burned quickly. Remove immediately and transfer to a plate to stop the cooking.

Use immediately. Or, allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 months and refrigerated at least 6 months. (You also can extend the life by freezing the seeds.)

This Soba Noodles with Umeboshi Paste &amp; Matcha is very unique creation that will elevate your palette. It&#x27;s subtle but sophisticated and somewhat luxurious. It&#x27;s vegan (always), gluten-free (make sure to choose 100% buckwheat soba noodles), with no added fat!It can also be served cold.

Soba Noodles with Umeboshi Paste & Matcha

oz buckwheat soba noodles ((we use 100 % buckwheat))

tbsp umeboshi paste ((Japanese pickled plum))

tbsp soba cooking water

matcha powder

oz water

scallion (thinly sliced)

Umeboshi paste

In a large pot, start boiling water for cooking soba noodles. Once it is boiling, cook soba noodle for 6-7 minutes (or follow the directions on the package.) Do not overcook the soba! Reserve some soba cooking water (up to 1/4 cup.) Drain and rinse under running water to remove the starch. Shake off the excess water and set aside.

In a large prep bowl, combine umeboshi paste and 1 tbsp soba cooking water. Mix well. Then add soba noodles. Toss gently to avoid breaking noodles. Add a little more soba cooking water if it is too dry. Set aside.

In an 8 oz liquid measuring cup (or small bowl), combine matcha powder and hot water. Whisk quickly until matcha powder dissolved into the hot water.

Serve the soba noodles in a bowl then pour the matcha (about 2 oz per person.) Top it with scallion, extra umeboshi paste, and toasted sesame seeds.

Learn how to make an easy Thai cucumber salad. This salad is loaded with crisp cucumbers, robust red onions, and tons of toasted sesame seeds. The dressing is sweet and tangy and so refreshing!

Sweet and Tangy Thai Cucumber Salad

rice vinegar

sugar

EACH: toasted sesame oil AND fish sauce

red pepper flakes

hothouse (English) cucumbers, thinly sliced

½ red onion, thinly sliced

peanuts (optional)

DRESSING: If you aren't the biggest fan of fish...

DRESSING: If you aren't the biggest fan of fish sauce, start with 1 teaspoon instead of two. Combine the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.

THAI CUCUMBER SALAD: Combine the ingredients for the...

THAI CUCUMBER SALAD: Combine the ingredients for the salad (except the peanuts) in a medium bowl. Pour the prepared dressing on top and stir so all the cucumbers are evenly coated in the dressing. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and allow the salad to marinate in the refrigerator for roughly 15-20 minutes or up to 1-2 hours. Add the peanuts to the top right before serving.

If you enjoy Japanese style cold tofu, hiyayakko, try this Vegan Cilantro Lime Cold Tofu! It&#39;s a traditional Japanese cold tofu dish with a touch of Southeast Asian flavor twist.

Vegan Cilantro Lime Cold Tofu

tbsp lime juice

soy sauce (or tamari)

tsp agave syrup

sesame oil

tsp grated ginger

tbsp chopped cilantro

Cut the 1/2 block of tofu in another half (1/4 block per person.) Save the remaining tofu in purified water in a container with a lid. Store in the fridge for a later use (see the notes below.)

Gently squeeze the tofu block to remove the excess water. Place the tofu in a shallow serving bowl. Set it aside.

Make the sauce. In a small prep bowl, combine lime juice, soy sauce, agave syrup, and toasted sesame oil. Mix well and set aside.

To serve, pour the sauce over the tofu then top with grated ginger, chopped cilantro, and toasted sesame seeds.

Here&#039;s how to toast sesame seeds—and how to tell when they’re done—without burning them! Make a big batch and keep it in the fridge for various recipes.

Raw sesame seeds (black

Wash the sesame seeds in a medium bowl. Then strain through a fine mesh strainer, and shake off excess water.

Heat a dry wok/pan/pot over medium-high heat, and add the rinsed and drained sesame seeds. Keep stirring until you hear a crackling sound—the sound of the water cooking off.

Then reduce the heat to medium-low. Keep stirring until the crackling sound stops, and the sesame seeds start to turn a light yellow color. If you are roasting black sesame seeds, use your sense of smell—they’re close to done when you can smell the fragrance of roasted sesame seeds. Another way to check for doneness is to smoosh a few between two fingers. They are done when you can crush them easily into powder.

Scoop the sesame seeds out into a bowl. The cooking surface is still hot after turning off the heat, and it’ll still cook the sesame seeds if you don’t transfer them out. Cool completely before storing.

Thank you sharing this "hack" for toasting sesame seeds.  I can't count the number of times well-intentioned efforts have resulted in sesame charcoal.  Air- frying has been helpful, but the timing is often the weak point because of other distractions in the kitchen.  I now use a non-stick pan to roast because it has a nice pan-side slope to rotate the seeds, and requires a focused effort.  Rinsing with water is a technique tip I will use in my next batch of sesame seed roasting.  Cheers, and thank you for sharing this information and all of the other other tips and menu favorites.

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Sesame, Date and Banana Cake

How to Toast Sesame Seeds

Soba Noodles with Umeboshi Paste & ...

Sweet and Tangy Thai Cucumber Salad

Vegan Cilantro Lime Cold Tofu

How to Toast Sesame Seeds

Top 6 toasted sesame seeds recipes from across the web

The most viewed toasted sesame seeds recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Sesame, Date and Banana Cake

How to Toast Sesame Seeds

Soba Noodles with Umeboshi Paste & ...

Sweet and Tangy Thai Cucumber Salad

Vegan Cilantro Lime Cold Tofu

How to Toast Sesame Seeds

The most viewed toasted sesame seeds recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine