How does cold-pressed sesame oil differ from the dark toasted sesame oil used in Asian cooking?

Cold-pressed sesame oil and toasted sesame oil are made from the same seeds but serve very different purposes in the kitchen. This ORGANIC ALTAY oil is cold-pressed from raw sesame seeds without any heat treatment during extraction, resulting in a light amber colour, a mild nutty aroma and a smooth, delicate flavour. It is versatile enough to use as a base oil in dressings, drizzled over vegetables, or mixed into grain dishes and dips.

Toasted (or roasted) sesame oil, common in Chinese, Korean and Japanese cooking, is made by pressing sesame seeds that have been roasted first. This gives it a deep brown colour and an intensely nutty, almost smoky aroma. Because the flavour is so strong, toasted sesame oil is typically used in very small amounts — a few drops to finish a stir-fry, soup or sauce — rather than as a cooking or salad oil. It is more of a seasoning than a cooking fat.

In short: if you want a subtle, everyday oil for drizzling and light culinary use, cold-pressed is the choice. If you need that signature intense aroma for Asian dishes, you would reach for a separate bottle of toasted sesame oil. They complement each other but are not interchangeable.