Tahini

Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds that have been soaked, hulled, lightly toasted and ground until smooth. It looks like a pale, runny nut butter. Good tahini tastes nutty and rich with a slight bitterness at the end. It is a staple in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and North African cooking.

Why it works

When you first add lemon juice or water, tahini seizes. It turns thick, stiff and pasty, and looks broken. Keep whisking and adding water and it relaxes into a smooth, creamy emulsion. This is normal.

How to use it

• Hummus. Blend cooked chickpeas with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt and a little ice water. A common ratio is about 1 part tahini to 3 parts chickpeas.
• Tahini sauce. Whisk 60 ml (¼ cup) tahini with the juice of a lemon and a crushed garlic clove. Add cold water a spoonful at a time, whisking, until smooth and pourable. Season with salt. Serve with falafel, roast vegetables, grilled meat or fish.
• Dips and mezze. It goes into baba ghanoush and many other dips.
• Dressings and noodles. Whisk with soy sauce, rice vinegar and honey for cold noodles or salads.
• Sweets. Stir it into cookies, brownies, granola or drizzle over yogurt with honey. Halva is made from tahini and sugar.

Substitutes

• Sunflower seed butter, the closest in taste and texture.
• Cashew or almond butter, which are sweeter.
• In Asian recipes, Chinese sesame paste. It is made from toasted unhulled seeds, so it is darker and stronger.

How to store it

The oil separates and rises to the top. Stir it well before using, with a knife or a spoon all the way to the bottom. Keep an opened jar in a cool cupboard for a few months, or in the fridge to keep it fresh longer, though it gets thicker there.

Common mistakes

• Using it straight from the top of the jar without stirring. You get oil, then a hard block later.
• Stopping when it seizes and adding more tahini.
• Using bitter, old tahini. Taste it first. Rancid tahini ruins a dish.

Tahini is made from sesame, a common allergen. See sesame.