Name: Brazilian-Style Sesame Farofa Topping
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Brazilian
Ingredients: 150 g Paigambari semolina, fine; 50 g plain sesame seeds; 4 tablespoons butter or cold-pressed sesame oil; half a small one onion, very finely diced; to taste fine salt; 1 a wide, heavy pan; 1 a wooden spoon, for constant stirring; 1 an airtight container, for storing

Before you cook

Farofa is a toasted cassava-flour topping; this version uses semolina and sesame, and is offered as a topping in that spirit rather than a claim to be the traditional dish.

Toast slowly and stir constantly. Semolina and sesame both go from golden to burnt within seconds of each other once they start to colour.

Method

Melt the butter in a wide pan over low to medium heat.
Add the diced onion and cook until soft, not coloured.
Add the sesame seeds first and toast briefly until fragrant.
Stir in the semolina and reduce the heat to low from here.
Toast the mixture slowly, stirring constantly and without pause.
Watch closely as it turns from pale to golden across the pan.
Take it off the heat the moment it reaches an even golden colour.
Continue stirring off the heat for a minute, since the pan stays hot.
Season with salt, tasting once it has cooled slightly.
Cool completely and store airtight, scattering over rice or stews to serve.

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