Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Black Sesame Paste

Exquisite black sesame paste flavour pairings and recipes, revealed through data science.

Black sesame paste is defined by the unmistakable flavours of sesame and seed, but beneath its bitter surface lies a nuanced symphony of subtle flavour notes: walnut, fenugreek, and even hints of burnt contribute remarkable depth. And the true alchemy of the kitchen begins when we seek out partners that allow these individual notes to truly sing, to harmonise in unexpected and delightful ways.

To chart these harmonies, we analysed thousands of ingredients, each deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, pinpointing the notes that best complement this ingredient’s profile. Our analysis reveals, for example, how green chilli's capsaicin tones infuse with black sesame paste, and how chilli oil's capsaicin notes create a surprising synergy with its roasted aroma.

An ingredient's flavour stems from its core characteristics, such as maillard, earthy, or woody, combined with layers of subtle flavour notes (outer bars). For a balanced dish, pair ingredients with a variety of core flavours, and choose complementary aroma notes for harmony.

The Flavour Code

To understand how flavour notes harmonise, we analysed more than 50,000 popular ingredient combinations. By exploring these pairings, we identified specific flavour notes that frequently occur together, indicating they share a harmonious relationship.

The Flavours That Harmonise With Sesame Notes

Our analysis reveals a strong connection between sesame and chilli flavours. Since black sesame paste has a distinct sesame flavour, try pairing it with the hot flavours of chilli oil.

The recipe below provides inspiration for pairing black sesame paste with chilli oil.

Harmonious Flavours Of Black Sesame Paste

Just as our analysis found that sesame and hot flavour accents often complement each other, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the flavour accents present in black sesame paste. For instance, the seedy notes of black sesame paste are strongly associated with lactic acid and butyric flavours.

The aroma notes linked to the various aroma accents of black sesame paste can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.

Matching Flavour Profiles

The flavour profile of green chilli offers many of the aroma accents complementary to black sesame paste, including capsaicin and capsicum notes. Because the flavour profile of green chilli has many of the of the features that are complementary to black sesame paste, they are likely to pair very well together.

The chart above shows the unique profile of green chilli across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with black sesame paste.

Recipes That Pair Black Sesame Paste With Green Chilli

Linked Flavour Notes

Looking at the accents that are most strongly associated with the various flavours of black sesame paste, we can identify other ingredients that are likely to pair well.

The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of black sesame paste, along with the complementary aromas associated with each note. While the right side shows some of the ingredients that share many of the notes complementary to black sesame paste.

What To Drink With Black Sesame Paste

The garlic notes in l' una rossa make it a perfect pairing with black sesame paste. Likewise, the capsaicin flavours in chorizo-infused beer create a match made in heaven. Explore a variety of ingredients below that beautifully complement the unique character of black sesame paste below.

Which Fruit Go With Black Sesame Paste?

For black sesame paste, choose fruit that infuse with its earthiness or carry its juicy aroma. Lime and lemon zest offer vibrant, clean counterpoints, their verdant freshness lifting the palate. Yuzu juice add a gentle, oniony brightness, while pineapple introduces a sophisticated, anise-tinged elegance.

Alternatively, embrace fruit that harmonise with black sesame paste's seediness. The addition of pumpkin, with its subtle capsaicin notes, can complement the sesame beautifully, while banana lends a fiery sensation.

How Flavonomics Works

We've pioneered a unique, data-driven approach to decode the intricate art of flavour pairing. Our goal is to move beyond intuition and uncover the science of why certain ingredients harmonise beautifully. This rigorous methodology allows us to provide you with insightful and reliable pairing recommendations.

Our analysis begins with over 50,000 carefully selected recipes from acclaimed chefs like Galton Blackiston, Marcello Tully, and Pierre Lambinon. This premium dataset ensures our model distils genuine culinary excellence and creativity.

Each ingredient from these recipes is deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, creating a unique numerical "flavour fingerprint." This quantification allows us to apply advanced analytical methods to identify complex patterns between flavour notes.

We identify popular ingredient combinations that frequently appear in our recipe database. Regression analysis is then performed on these pairings to statistically validate and pinpoint truly harmonious flavours.

These insights drive our predictive model, which allows us to take any ingredient (e.g., Black sesame paste), analyse its detailed flavour profile, and accurately reveal its complementary flavours and perfect ingredient partners.