Zhir Ma Bao (Black Sesame Filling For Buns) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3/4 - 1 cup black sesame seed
3/4 cup raw sugar, the less finely ground the better
1/2 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons peanut oil

Preparation

Toast sesame seeds very lightly (be careful, black sesame becomes very bitter if overtoasted.).
Add 1/4 cup sugar to the boiling water, dissolve.
Combine 1/4 cup remaining sugar, sesame seeds, and 1 tbs peanut oil in a blender or masher.
Process or crush to desired fineness - it can be anything from a gritty paste to a smooth filling.
Add the hot water and remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and the remaining 1 tbs oil during the grinding process to adjust sweetness, consistency, and smoothness to taste.
NOTE: This recipe should yield a very sesame-flavored, gritty paste after 5 - 10 minutes of start-stop processing without any extras.