This little glass jar packs the tastiest black goo you’ll ever eat: Wari goma. Wari goma is sesame paste, basically the same concept as tahini. The goopy mess in question is made with black sesame seeds, and so has a gorgeous sheen and a slightly earthier taste. I bought this jar (Kadoya brand) at Mitsuwa, although it can be found in pretty much any grocery store that carries a decent variety of Japanese victuals. It’s worth every penny of its exorbitant price.
A little goes a long way, and makes for a very easy, sophisticated-looking Japanese side dish. I learned the following sauce from a friend in Japan, and have never had any complaints. Note that all amounts are eyeballed; taste as you go along:
Mix a teaspoon of wari goma with two tablespoons of soy sauce, one tablespoon each of rice vinegar and sake (or mirin if you want a sweeter taste and less bite), and one teaspoon of black sesame seeds. You may want to throw some kombu dashi in there for a bit of savory or wasabi if pungent is more your gig. If you can buy or make suri goma (crushed sesame seeds), its addition will improve matters.
This goes well on asparagus, spinach boiled in kombu dashi, fresh tomatoes (use sake instead of mirin and consider adding the wasabi), and wakame. I’ve also used it as a dipping sauce for soba, although I prefer it watery and sans suri goma when used with noodles.
