Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Sesame Paste

Unlock the perfect flavour pairings for sesame paste according to data science. Explore unique recipes and discover the hidden mathematics of flavour.

Roasted aroma and beurreux notes are at the forefront of sesame paste's flavour profile, but identifying its perfect partner requires exploring its subtle nuances. We must examine the complex interplay of notes within its bouquet, like oleic acid, toast, and hints of caramel. We need to understand how these notes affect each other and which complementary flavors they harmonise with.

To map these harmonies, we analysed thousands of ingredients, breaking each one down across 150 flavour dimensions, identifying which notes complement and contrast. Our analysis reveals, for example, how rice noodles's oryzan tones embrace sesame paste, and how basmati rice's oryzan notes create a surprising synergy with its roasted aroma.

An ingredient's flavour profile is determined by its core characteristics (e.g. maillard, woody, and nectarous) enhanced by layers of subtle aroma notes (outer bars). When pairing ingredients, aim for a mix of core traits to build balance, and select complementary aroma notes to create harmony.

Flavour Pairing Method

To understand exactly which flavours harmonise, we compiled a database of over 50,000 ingredient pairings commonly used in cooking. We then analysed these pairings, identifying the specific flavour notes that frequently appear together.

The Flavours That Harmonise With Sesame Notes

Our analysis shows that the flavour of sesame is strongly associated with the flavour of rice. This suggests we should look for ingredients with a rice-like flavour, such as basmati rice, when pairing with the sesame accents of sesame paste.

The recipes below provide inspiration for pairing sesame paste with basmati rice.

Harmonious Flavours Of Sesame Paste

Just as our analysis shows that sesame and koji notes combine harmoniously, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the flavours present in sesame paste. For instance, the oleic accents of sesame paste are strongly associated with cinchona and squash-like notes.

The notes complementing the various aromas of sesame paste can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.

Matching Flavour Profiles

The flavour profile of rice noodles offers many of the aroma accents complementary to sesame paste, including rice aroma notes. Because the flavour profile of rice noodles has many of the of the features that are complementary to sesame paste, they are likely to pair very well together.

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

Recipes That Pair Sesame Paste With Rice Noodles

Linked Flavour Notes

Looking at the accents that are most strongly associated with the various flavours of 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 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 sesame paste.

What To Drink With Sesame Paste

The rice notes in sake make it a perfect pairing with sesame paste. Likewise, the rice flavours in honjozo create a match made in heaven. Explore a variety of ingredients below that beautifully complement the unique character of sesame paste below.

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., Sesame paste), analyse its detailed flavour profile, and accurately reveal its complementary flavours and perfect ingredient partners.