Wash the sesame seeds in a medium bowl. Then strain through a fine mesh strainer, and shake off excess water.

Heat a dry wok/pan/pot over medium-high heat, and add the rinsed and drained sesame seeds. Keep stirring until you hear a crackling sound—the sound of the water cooking off.

Then reduce the heat to medium-low. Keep stirring until the crackling sound stops, and the sesame seeds start to turn a light yellow color. If you are roasting black sesame seeds, use your sense of smell—they’re close to done when you can smell the fragrance of roasted sesame seeds. Another way to check for doneness is to smoosh a few between two fingers. They are done when you can crush them easily into powder.

Scoop the sesame seeds out into a bowl. The cooking surface is still hot after turning off the heat, and it’ll still cook the sesame seeds if you don’t transfer them out. Cool completely before storing.