Black sesame seeds and white sesame seeds are essentially the same thing, but with a few key differences in taste and processing.
Key Differences
| Feature | Black Sesame Seeds | White Sesame Seeds |
|---|---|---|
| Taste | Nuttier and smokier flavor | Duller, perhaps sweeter flavor |
| Hulls | Hulls (shells) are intact | Hulls (shells) have been removed |
| Processing | Minimal processing | More processing due to hull removal |
Taste and Flavor
- Black Sesame Seeds: These seeds offer a more pronounced, nuttier, and slightly smokier flavor profile.
- White Sesame Seeds: The white variety tends to have a milder, somewhat duller, and arguably sweeter taste compared to black sesame seeds. However, the taste differences are very subtle.
Processing
The primary difference lies in the processing of the seeds:
- Black Sesame Seeds: They are left with their hulls (shells) intact.
- White Sesame Seeds: The hulls of white sesame seeds are removed.
This difference in processing contributes to the variation in taste, with the hull being responsible for the nuttier and smokier flavor of black seeds.
Summary
In essence, while black and white sesame seeds are derived from the same plant, their taste nuances and processing methods differ slightly. Black seeds retain their hulls, resulting in a nuttier and smokier flavor, while white seeds have their hulls removed, giving them a milder and potentially sweeter taste. The fundamental nature of the seeds, however, remains the same.
