Sesame Paste: The Dip That Defines Northern Chinese Cuisine
When a southerner comes to the north, the first thing that shocks them is the "mudslide" of sesame paste on the dining table. Staple foods, meat, eggs, vegetables, pastries—everything must be dipped in sesame paste. The entire person ends up feeling "numb" from eating it...
Welcome to the north, where sesame paste is sold by the pound.
Those who love it quickly adapt to local customs, coating every ingredient with sesame paste—fine, smooth, sticky, and fragrant, each ingredient is meticulously attended to. Those who dislike sesame paste see it as a sudden suona blast in the middle of a concert or a domineering actor on TV saying, "I don’t care what you think." They lament how good ingredients are truly "ruined for life at first taste of sesame paste."
In the north, sesame paste radiates outward from Beijing, the "Sesame Capital." Northeastern "sesame paste" spicy hot pot, North Chinese sesame paste stew, Northwest-style fermented skin noodles and cold noodles... Across the vast northern lands, its presence is felt everywhere.
In Shaanxi’s cold skin noodles, sesame paste is the icing on the cake.
Why is sesame paste so irresistible in the north? The answer lies in the wet markets.
The most fragrant spot in a wet market is often a small stall or a semi-open van with the words "small grind sesame oil." Here, you’ll see how ground sesame paste transforms into sesame oil. Why is sesame paste so fragrant? Simply because it and sesame oil are one and the same. The next time someone argues over whether hot pot should be dipped in a sesame oil bowl or a sesame paste bowl, you can recite two lines of poetry: "From the same root we spring; why hurry to fry each other?"
Extracting sesame oil from sesame paste is now also an intangible cultural heritage.
If you step into a supermarket, sesame paste brands abound. Unlike Cailinji, which dominates a sesame paste enclave in the central city of Wuhan, Wangzhihe, Tianyuan, and Liubiju are all authentic old Beijing flavors. Gubi is a rising newcomer; Caoyuan Hongtaiyang (Prairie Red Sun) immediately brings lamb to mind. Cuizipai sesame paste from Shandong, paired with sliced Shandong steamed buns, is far more robust than a sandwich.
Thus, a bowl of rich, mellow sesame paste conquers the northerners’ dining tables.
In Beijing, you might not get to taste the Manchu-Han Imperial Feast, but you can certainly have a "Sesame Paste Feast."
The darker one is called *miancha*—simply put, it’s cornmeal porridge topped with sesame paste.
In the early morning, after a snowfall, a bowl of *miancha* on a table in the hutong pairs perfectly with the porcelain-blue sky behind bare trees. At noon, a copper pot is set up for lamb hot pot, with layered sesame paste biscuits full of lingering richness. In the evening, with the heating on full blast, who cares if sesame paste cold noodles are meant for summer? A bowl of "Old Beijing" Sprite sesame paste cold noodles—the sesame paste is the key to soothing the palate.
Beijing’s snowy December, copper pot clear broth lamb hot pot is best with fermented tofu blended sesame paste.
Photo / Lingxi er, Image / Tuchong · Creativity
Then there’s the Qianlong cabbage (really a cold dish) that made two radio hosts publicly fall out. After winter sets in, Chinese cabbage is crisp, fresh, and sweet, cooked just right. Its tender green and light yellow hues paired with sesame paste inevitably bring to mind familiar spring sandstorms and April days in the capital.
After the meal, order a cup of "Beijing-style latte." One sip reveals it’s richer and smoother than a regular latte. Take a closer look at the English translation—isn’t this just an "erbajiang" (2:8 sesame-peanut blend) latte?
"Beijing-style latte" can be roughly translated as—
Sesame-peanut blended paste fresh milk coffee.
"Soft on entry, smooth in the mouth, fragrant after chewing, memorable after eating"—no Beijinger can escape the dominance of sesame paste. Beijingers probably want everything to be related to sesame paste: sesame paste sugar pancakes, *miancha*, sesame paste cold noodles, sesame paste biscuits, sesame paste wafers, sesame paste ice cream bars...
Sesame paste is an indispensable ingredient in traditional Beijing-style sugar fire cakes.
When Lao She, the "Cultural Ambassador of Beijing," was elected as a representative of the National People's Congress, he submitted a proposal addressing the supply issue of sesame paste. Since then, his famous quote—"Beijingers' summers are inseparable from sesame paste"—has become a slogan representing Beijingers' love for sesame paste.
Small sesame paste shops in Beijing also sell sesame oil.
Even earlier, Zhu Ziqing and Liang Shiqiu expressed their love for sesame paste paired with pancakes in their writings. Sesame paste sugar pancakes are an absolute favorite—freshly baked, with brown sugar and sesame paste oozing from the crispy crust, reminiscent of the milk and honey of the legendary Canaan. The warmth and sweetness that fill your mouth with every bite make it impossible not to love.
Photo/qibajiu789789, Image/hui tu.com
Beyond the legends of sesame paste left by literati, Beijingers most enjoy saying during winter, "It's for this sesame paste that we have this hot pot meal." Today, we won’t delve into how sesame paste enhances hot pot mutton or tripe by neutralizing gaminess with its richness. Instead, let's focus on the intricate process of "diluting" (xiè) freshly ground, thick sesame paste into a dipping sauce.
"Xie" refers to thinning a thick paste, which isn’t much different from whipping cream in a bakery: pour sesame paste into a bowl, add liquid gradually while stirring in one direction with chopsticks until the paste reaches a smooth, dipping consistency.
Sesame paste pairs exceptionally well with beef, lamb, and offal, such as quick-boiled tripe.
Photo/fxy1223, Image/tu chong · creativity
For diluting sesame paste, some advocate using water for simplicity; others prefer sesame oil, adhering to the principle of "using like to dissolve like." More refined methods involve infusing the liquid with spices like cinnamon, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, and bay leaves for enhanced flavor. Some even use jasmine tea to soften the intensity or prepare a rich broth with premium ingredients for a robust effect—the art of "xie" showcases Beijing's culinary diversity and inclusiveness.
Above: Noodles tossed with diluted sesame paste, Image/VCG;
Below: Yi Li's century-old sesame paste wafer,
Photo/Jing Xiaotu, Image/tu chong creativity.
Diluted sesame paste is delicious tossed with noodles or mixed with green beans and vegetables, a common practice across North China. Yi Li or Dao Xiang Cun's sesame paste wafers are uniquely Beijing—at their peak, daily production reached two tons, yet they still couldn’t meet the demand from local food enthusiasts. Alongside sesame paste ice pops, sesame chocolate, and "Beijing-style" lattes, they form an alternative landscape of Beijing's sesame paste culture.
If any city can rival Beijing in its love for sesame paste, it must be Tianjin.
Tianjiners also adore sesame paste for hot pot dipping, cold noodles, cold dishes, and baked cakes. A spoonful of rich sesame paste is essential for breakfast staples like tofu pudding and ga ba cai (a variant of jianbing).
Ga ba cai shares the same origin as jianbing,
Its texture relies entirely on the seasoning and soaking in the broth,
The secret of the broth lies in fermented tofu and sesame paste.
However, unlike Beijingers' dedication to eating meat purely for the sake of sesame paste, Tianjiners emphasize harmonious pairings—their legendary "Tianjin-style vegetarian dish" relies on sesame paste for flavor balance.
As the Chinese New Year approaches, Tianjin residents naturally think of the first dumplings of the lunar year. The filling is truly unique, with no other like it in the world. It includes Chinese cabbage, dried tofu, red bean starch noodles, and fried dough sticks. Other ingredients can be added according to personal taste, but it always starts with the "three musketeers": fermented tofu, sesame paste, and sesame oil. This is called "Tianjin-style vegetarian filling."
Fermented tofu, sesame paste, and sesame oil adorn the Tianjin-style vegetarian filling.
Why is the vegetarian dumpling filling in Tianjin so complex? The master of crosstalk, Ma Sanli, once offered his interpretation: "During the New Year, when everyone is idle, we might as well make things complicated for fun."
The addition of sesame paste adds a rich touch to vegetarian dishes, making the plain dumplings appear vibrant. The bean starch noodles dyed in Tianjin's signature Chinese red exude a festive atmosphere. As the steaming dumplings are served, paired with prepared Laba vinegar, the year for Tianjin people begins just like this.
Ever-changing Ergu steamed buns, unchanging fermented tofu and sesame paste.
Tianjin-style vegetarian filling is not only found in dumplings but also in the "Ergu Steamed Buns" shops that are ubiquitous at the entrance of every residential area in Tianjin. Behind the glass windows, skilled workers deftly prepare the buns. The vegetarian filling is juicy, the wrappers are thin and smooth, and the eighteen pleats resemble flower petals, creating Tianjin's unique "fermented tofu and sesame paste soup buns."
Besides vegetarian buns, there are also fried rolls. The wrappers are filled with a mixture of fermented tofu and other ingredients, then deep-fried until cooked but not burnt, crispy yet intact. With one bite, the fermented tofu sauce and sesame paste slowly ooze out amid the crispy crunch, offering a dual texture experience.
Tianjin people love sesame paste so much that even a bowl of hot lamb soup in winter is enhanced with sesame paste and fermented tofu, turning it into an avant-garde experimental dish. The soup is made from lamb bones and offal, seasoned with fermented tofu, sesame paste, and leek flower, and finally garnished with a handful of finely chopped cilantro. It’s a vibrant triple experience of color, aroma, and taste.
Some people think that sesame paste liangpi is a Beijing adaptation, but this is a rare case where Beijing, often called a "food desert," is wrongly blamed. In the noodle universe of Northwestern China, sesame paste indeed holds an important position.
Unlike Beijing’s sesame paste, which is as厚重纯粹 as the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, Northwesterners often mix sesame paste with various seasonings, creating a百花齐放 effect. Just like the Northwestern landscape, it features both vast deserts and long rivers, as well as lush greenery.
Northwestern酿皮 uses复合麻酱, and vinegar is a must.
Northwesterners’ obsession with noodles is unmatched. Xi’an’s sesame paste liangpi, Lanzhou’s高担酿皮 and vegetarian cold noodles, and Xinjiang’s yellow noodles—all these carbohydrate delights离不开麻酱.
Take Xi’an’s sesame paste liangpi, for example. The chili oil and garlic sauce are wrapped in sesame paste, creating a combination of bold and smooth flavors. Especially when paired with cured beef夹馍, dipped in the remaining sesame paste at the bottom of the bowl, the crispiness and richness, the meat aroma and wheat fragrance, the cured sauce and sesame paste, all intertwine at this moment. If you haven’t had enough sesame paste, you can also order a portion of涮牛肚.
Bowls of sesame paste liangpi stacked like a pyramid.
Photo / Turui, Image / Tuchong Creativity
Heading east to Baoji in Shaanxi, the擀面皮 and various other skin noodles there do not include sesame paste. However, just across the Qinling Mountains in Gansu, the sesame paste flavor becomes strong again: Longnan礼县’s hot skin noodles use sesame paste to season the soup, paired with mustard and vinegar, making breakfast lively and fragrant. Lanzhou’s高担酿皮 uses an even more complex sesame paste mixture—sesame paste, red chili, salt, and vinegar—blended as precisely as oil paints to ensure the seasonings adhere to the酿皮 without any carelessness.
高担酿皮 uses复合麻酱, and vinegar is indispensable.
Further northwest, sesame paste tames the boldness of Xinjiang’s yellow noodles with grilled meat. A large plate of yellow noodles is layered with grilled lamb (fat and lean), yellow noodles, and shredded cucumbers at the bottom. The yellow noodles are warm, the grilled meat is sizzling hot, and the aroma of sesame paste enhances each bite. To refresh the palate, take some crispy cucumbers from the bottom. It’s best paired with a glass of Xinjiang kvass—absolutely satisfying.
The "numb" in麻辣烫 refers to the "numb" of sesame paste.
Northeasterners take sesame paste to the extreme. It is used to enhance the flavor of grilled skewers and hot pot dips, and some even add sugar to sesame paste for an extra layer of freshness and aroma.
Sesame paste and garlic braised starch jelly, a dish from Yantai, Shandong, made its way to Dalian, Liaoning.
It single-handedly gave rise to something called malatang, which eventually became a dominant force in the national snack scene. This has long surpassed the influence of a mere food item, becoming a pinnacle in the entrepreneurial history of the snack world.
Originally an authentic Sichuan flavor, malatang was adapted by Northeasterners who replaced the red broth with a lighter, less oily and less spicy white broth. They added various vegetables, swapped offal for meatballs and luncheon meat, and used red oil, garlic paste, and vinegar as condiments. The most innovative touch was the introduction of sesame paste as a natural thickener, making the broth rich and fragrant. A warm bowl of "blanched" vegetables became an absolute favorite in the Northeast, offering a satisfying meal with meat and vegetables, all enhanced by the endless satisfaction brought by sesame paste.
Spicy and fiery malatang? Not here.
For Northeasterners who prefer fresh, salty, and sweet flavors, sesame paste effectively masks the spiciness. Often, they adopt a "add more noodles if there's too much water, add more water if there's too many noodles" approach, resulting in the entire bowl of malatang being coated in sesame paste. From then on, the "ma" (numbing) in malatang completely transformed into the "ma" (sesame paste) of sesame paste. It firmly established itself in the fast-food industry, where each person has their own bowl, and the process is simple and standardized. Yang Guofu and Zhangliang, both originating from the Northeast and expanding nationwide, witnessed the rise of malatang.
Besides malatang, Northeastern-style dalapi also calls for a generous serving of sesame paste. The starch noodles are soft and smooth, mixed with shredded cucumber, cilantro, and radish, and seasoned with soy sauce, aged vinegar, garlic paste, and other condiments. A final spoonful of sesame paste adds the finishing touch.
Dalapi, the vanguard of Northeastern cold dishes.
In Dalian, braised starch jelly is a common street food. Unlike the wild seafood flavor of Yantai's version across the sea, which uses shrimp paste, Dalian's version is seasoned only with sesame paste, soy sauce, and garlic water. The sweet potato starch batter is pan-fried to form the crust Dalian people cherish—the "ge." Skewered with a small wire fork and bitten into, it retains a chewy, soft, and glutinous texture. This classic combination of sesame paste and braised starch jelly is also a gem among snack stalls across northern China.
Why do Northerners love sesame paste so much?
First, sesame paste evokes memories and emotions of past life. Even today, some old Beijingers bring their own bottles to buy sesame paste, but the skill of the salesperson scooping it with a spoon might only be found in memories—
"As the scale slowly rose, the salesperson had to constantly twist the spoon... If not done properly, the sesame paste would fall on the scale or exceed the amount. I always stared at that magical big spoon, and as I watched, I’d hear her say in Beijing dialect: 'Look, a bit over three liang, not shortchanging you.'"
—Du Xinxin, "Memories of a Hutong Wanderer"
Even today, there are grocery stores in Beijing where you can still buy sesame paste by weight.
After buying the sesame paste, you might enjoy the luxurious combination depicted in "I Love My Family": sliced mantou (steamed buns) spread with sesame paste and sprinkled with a layer of white sugar. The comfort of times of material scarcity was just this simple.
Second, sesame paste also embodies the inclusive nature of Northern flavors. Sesame seeds came from the Western Regions, and early recipes for sesame paste appeared in Jinhua, Zhejiang. After the Daoguang era, when grain transportation north via the Grand Canal became increasingly difficult, the Qing government extensively requisitioned sesame seeds from surrounding areas as a food supplement. Over time, sesame paste, a derivative of sesame seeds, took root in the North, spreading its fragrance to countless households.
Long queues, buying sesame paste, bringing your own glass bottle.
Such cultural exchanges gave sesame paste a magnanimous quality that harmonizes a hundred flavors. Whether it’s the vinegar and oil-splashed chili of Northwesterners, the red oil and white sugar of Northeasterners, or the fermented tofu (jiang doufu) of Beijing and Tianjin people, all can be perfectly balanced by a bowl of sesame paste. For Northerners, encountering sesame paste is like coffee and tea meeting their destined partner—milk. When they meet, they surpass countless other delights in the world.
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Cover photo credit | Chen Siyu117, photo from Tuchong Creative.
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