Most Americans sweeten their morning porridge but I much prefer a salty/savory breakfast. So when it comes to garnishing my oatmeal, I often skip the brown sugar/maple syrup and reach for a favorite condiment: gomasio or sesame salt. Read on for more information.
The first time I tried gomasio on my breakfast cereal, it was actually a little shocking. I was attending a silent breakfast in a dimly lit room at a Zen Buddhist temple and when a little bowl full of medium brown granular-looking stuff was passed to me, I assumed it was brown sugar and ladled a few scoops into my bowl. You can imagine my surprise when I took a bite and, expecting sweet, received a mouthful of salty instead!
I am well over that shocking moment and have learned to love this delicious, easy to make condiment on all sorts of things, including vegetables, sprinkled in soups and of course on rice. I like it on all forms of hot breakfast cereals, especially oatmeal or rice congee. I make my own in small batches to keep it fresh and because I prefer to use use whole (not hulled) sesame seeds, toasting them a little darker than most store bought blends. If I don't think I'm going to use it right up, I store it in the refrigerator as the oils in sesame seeds can go rancid quickly.
• Recipe: D.I.Y Sesame Salt
Related: Ingredient Spotlight: Sesame Seeds
(Image: Dana Velden)
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I Love Gomasaio AND savory/salty oatmeal, but I have a related questions - any tips on preparing oats (rolled or steel cut) in a zorijushi rice maker? Tried last night and it was a soupy mess
Gomasio is one of the most amazing condiments. I use it instead of salt most of the time.
Love savory oatmeal as well. Given that I eat my breakfast at work, many of my coworkers are surprised when they see me eating my oats with salsa, hot sauce, eggs, etc. and only begin to understand the appeal once I explain that oatmeal is no different than any other grain such as rice.
A coworker keeps telling me to try my oatmeal with miso (I'm a brown sugar girl). Hey--brown sugar AND miso?
Savory oatmeal...my husband must be the king of savory oatmeal! I have seen him put turmeric, Vietnamese cinnamon, Aleppo or Urfa pepper flakes, fresh habanero pepper, any leftover Asian noodles or rice (especially D7), sesame oil and sesame seeds, nuts, all fresh or dried fruits, Maldon sea salt, and maple syrup. Not all of this at once. Myself, I like Maldon salt, 1/4 tsp. Vietnamese cinnamon and 1/4 tsp. Aleppo pepper. No sweetener.
Yum! I often make my oatmeal cheese grits-style, with cheddar, Worcestershire, and hot sauce...totally trying gomasio
... as long as you're comfortable with the fact that a lot of gomashio (black sesame seeds with salt) does contain msg despite what the packaging says ...