Gomashio

Homemade gomashio is medicinal and a good replacement for salt.

Gomashio is a condiment that you will always find on a macro table.  Rich in protein, calcium, iron, and B Vitamins, it is a digestive aid that helps balance off the yang in brown rice and neutralize the acidity in the blood.  The yin of the sesame oil and the yang of the salt make a very nice balance and supports heart function, relieves tiredness, and strengthens the nervous system.  Gomashio also functions as a medicine in itself, due to its powerful ant-acid biochemical effect--a thousand times more effective than AlkaSeltzer, which is Yin, fizzy. You can take 1/2 to l teaspoonful directly on the palm of your hand, and suck on it well, before swallowing: strengthens digestion and improves energy immediately.

I like to sprinkle it on top of my brown rice porridge in the morning and even on some oatmeal to balance it off and wake me up :)  Here's a recipe for homemade gomashio.  You can alternate between tan and black sesame seeds, however the black does have a slightly higher mineral content because it's unhulled and it also has a stronger taste.  What I like to do is mix it.  You need to purchase a suribachi to make it yourself.  It's cheap and so useful, you can make sauces and dressings with it as well. 

Gomashio - Limit your intake 1-2 tsps a day.  Stays fresh for approximately 2 wks.

1 1/3 tbsp sea salt

1/2 cup black sesame seed

1/2 cup tan sesame seed

1. Roast sea salt in skillet over medium-low flame for several mins, constantly stirring back and forth.  Place sea salt in suribachi and grind to a fine powder.
2. Heat skillet and place washed sesame seeds in it.  Dry roast seeds for several mins, stirring back and forth to roast evenly.  When seeds give off nutty fragrance and begin to pop, remove from flame and place in suribachi with ground sea salt.  Grind in a slow and circular motion until seeds are about half crushed.  Store in airtight glass container in a cool place.

You can also purchase gomashio if you don't want to make it.  However it will not be as fresh and it's important that you get a good quality gomashio because some brands overdo the salt :S  Eden makes a reliable one:

Choose from a variety of flavors!