Black is in!

Like fashion, black foods are definitely in! They are everywhere, black soybeans, black vinegar, black sesame seeds, black rice and black tea, just to name a few.

My current craze is black sesame. Black sesame seeds are known for health benefits especially for the kidney and liver, and are a good source of calcium; one gram of seeds contain approximately 85 milligrams of calcium, (twice as much as white sesame seeds). Black sesame seeds also have high amounts of protein, iron, magnesium and are also a good source of essential fatty acids.

The Chinese also believes that black sesame boosts everlasting ebony hair. I am a strong believer. My mane is still as black as the day I was born. And though I'm certainly not in my dotage, I have seen my youth quite a many moons ago.

Black sesame foods are usually found in desserts. My fave ones are black sesame ice cream, black sesame paste, black sesame bau(a chinese bun) and black sesame ah boh ling(glutinous balls filled with black sesame).



The best black sesame ice cream is at Azabu Sabo at Marina Square level 2. The ice cream comes from Hokkaido and once you taste it, you would not want to try others. The black sesame taste is strong, tasty and with just the right amount of creaminess and sweetness.



For black sesame pau, I liked the ones at Bau Today. There outlets at Marina Square and United Square. The skin of the bau is thin and once you bite into the bau, the black sesame oozes out! Mmmm!



Mei Hong Yuen's black sesame paste found at the AnchorPoint is a must for me weekly. Costing only $2.50 per bowl, the dessert is also a favourite among my colleagues.

Hai Seng Ah Boh Ling at the Chinatown Market comes in clear broth with white balls of rice flour, within which black sesame paste is found. Of teochew origin, which is also where my parents hailed from, the stall is one of the more popular dessert stalls at the market.