Sweet and salty sesame crumble (muối mè) is made with toasted sesame seeds, sugar, and the perfect amount of salt. The 3 ingredients are processed into a coarse and crumbly mixture. This sweet and salty crumble pairs perfectly with sticky rice, adding a nutty crunch and savory-sweet finish to each bite.
I keep this sesame crumble (muối mè) in stock. My kids love it with plain sticky rice or black sticky rice!
Muối mè means sesame salt in Vietnamese. Muối means salt and sounds like "moo-ee" mè which means sesame sounds like "meh". This topping tastes sweet with a hint of salt. This topping is a crowd favorite on sweet rice. Growing up I ate this on occasion but it was my in-laws that turned me to buying 5 lbs bags of sesame. Why? Well, let me tell you. When my kids were babies, I worked at the hospital. When I worked my 7 am shift I'd get ready, then wake my sleepy kids up, brush their teeth, and load them into the car. My ultimate flex in life is that I had my in-laws to help and love my kids while I was speeding off to work. SO when I dropped off my kids in the early hours of the morning my in-laws discovered that the boys really enjoy eating sticky rice. This was amazing because they were picky and when my in-laws sprinkled a healthy spoonful of muối mè it turbo-charged their appetite. After that, my kids only wanted sticky rice for breakfast, so my in-laws made me jars of sesame salt but I kept running out. So, this recipe came out of necessity to keep my kids happy and fed. I learned how to make muối mè with my in-law's guide and after a little trial and error to get the ratio of sesame, sugar, and salt, I got it and sharing it! Too much sugar or salt will make the salt overly sweet or too salty and it'll overpower the sweet sesame flavor but with the right amount a flavor bomb is formed.
You will find these at all the sweet sticky rice vendors in Vietnam and often a side to go with sticky rice if you buy it at a Vietnamese food mart.
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❤️Why this Sweet and Salty Seasme Crumble Recipe Works
- Through much trial and error, I've landed on the perfect ratio so you don't have to!
- This recipe is made quickly and in under 10 minutes.
- It uses only 3 ingredients!
🥄Equipment and tools
- Blender - Any blender will do. I use my Cuisinart smart blender to grind my sesame into a coarse, crunchy mixture.
- small pan - used to toast the sesame seeds
🛒Recipe Ingredients
What ingredients are needed for Vietnamese sweet and salty crumble topping (muối mè)? Fortunately, there are only 3 ingredients to make this!
- Sesame seeds - White sesame seeds are the key ingredient in this recipe. You can get it at your favorite grocer, Amazon, or at your local Vietnamese/Asian grocery store. In this recipe, we will toast the sesame seeds and then blend the sesame seeds until they are coarse. They will feel gritty between the fingers, and when eaten it'll have a nice crunchy texture. Toasting the sesame changes the flavor of the white sesame seeds making it more nutty. Do not over toast or it will burn the sesame seeds and they will taste bitter. Grinding the sesame seeds will release some of its natural oils, intensifying the flavor and releasing an amazing smell.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
👩🏫 How to Make Sweet and Salty Sesame Crumble (Muối Mè)
Step 1: Add white sesame to a small saucepan and turn the heat to low.
Step 2: As the sesame seeds start to brown use a spoon to stir the sesame seeds so they'll brown evenly continually. As it cooks it will release a beautiful, warm sesame aroma. You can speed up the cooking process by turning up the heat but be extra careful because the sesame seeds cook extra quick. Cooking on low heat, it took me no more than 5 minutes to get it to a light brown.
This is the color I like my sesame seeds. If you want a more roasted, toasted flavor cook them longer.If you want a less pronounced flavor take the sesame seeds off the heat when they barely change to brown.
Step 3: To a blender add toasted sesame seeds, sugar, and salt. Blend until they are coarse and gritty. You can split the portions in half for easier blending.
Step 4: Blend until mixture looks similar to the picture above and enjoy!
Step 5: Store remaining in a close container.
Expert Tips
- Cook sesame on low heat, this is the easiest way to make sure you don't burn the seeds.
- Blend the sesame seeds in small portions so they can break down easily. Do not over blend, you do not want to make this into a paste.
- Make a lot and save for later!
❄️Storage
- Store in a closed container at room temperature.
Did you try this guide?
Leave a ⭐️ review below and tag @teerangathome on Instagram!
📖Recipe
Equipment
- 1 hand blender (or any blender you have)
- 1 small pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- ⅛ teaspoonful salt
Instructions
- Add 1 cup of white sesame seeds to a saucepan. Turn the heat to low.
- As the sesame seeds start to cook use a spoon to stir the sesame seeds in a circular motion. As the sesame seeds cook, the seeds will release a nutty aroma. Continue to stir and brown the seeds until they turn a light yellowish brown. This should not take anymore than 5 minutes cooking on low.
- Pour sesame seeds into a blender, add sugar and salt. Pulse and blend until sesame seeds turn into a coarse mixture. Sesame seeds should feel gritty between your fingers.
- Enjoy and top on your sticky rice or desserts!
Notes
LH
What other things can you put this on? Thanks for the recipe!
Trang Vo
You're so welcome, LH! I love using this sesame crumble on sticky rice (xôi), Vietnamese desserts (chè). Other ideas that the sesame crumble might go well with are on ice cream or maybe dipping tart fresh fruit like strawberries with it. Try out some things and let me know what is tasty!