15/10/2020

Tahini is the Arabic name for ground sesame seeds. It can be served as a dip or as a component of other dishes. The sesame paste has kind of an oily surface with a peanut butter-like texture. Middle Eastern restaurants use tahini by itself as a sauce or mix it with other ingredients to make other sauces and dishes. Often it is garnished with garlic and lemon juice. Hummus, a popular sauce, is made with tahini. Tahini sauce is also used to top Middle Eastern main dishes. Many other countries use tahini in various forms. Tahini in Turkey is mixed with other ingredients to make a rich breakfast dish called tahin-pekmez. In Iraq, tahini is combined with date syrup to make a wonderful sweet dessert. Halva is made with tahini in Iran. Tahini is used instead of tzatziki for souvlaki in Cyprus. In Greece, tahini is spread on bread sometimes with honey or jam. You can buy jars of tahini with cocoa or honey in the grocery stores of Greece. I found recipes for tahini fudge, soups made with tahini, main dishes, sauces, tahini carrot bread, chicken, shawarma, desserts, noodles, and salad dressings. With a texture like peanut butter and a sesame flavor, it is not surprising that tahini is so versatile and lends itself to so many recipes. Tahini can be made at home. While the process is a little cumbersome, the result is delicious. To whip up tahini, sesame seeds are carefully roasted in the oven for 6-8 minutes, then ground in a food processor with olive oil until you get a lovely sesame paste. There are great recipes on the internet.