Sesame paste, the magical ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine
Tahini, Tahini, Tahina is a paste made from 100% sesame seeds. It is a creamy pasta rich in proteins (about 24%), good fats (about 50%) and fiber (about 12%).
Tahini is now being discovered in Europe, but many people still don't know what to do with this amazing ingredient. That's why we share with you some secrets to inspire you and whet your appetite for this healthy ingredient and how you can include it in your daily diet.
Tahini fits perfectly into a vegan diet and is a great way to reduce meat consumption as it is packed with protein and minerals such as calcium.
Here we show you how to make delicious dishes with tahini, you can thank me later ;-)
You can buy authentic organic tahini at buy-bio.eu
For commercial quantities please contact us
Basic recipe for Tahini Dip
Tahini dip can be used as a substitute for mayonnaise
Perfect dip/sauce for grilled vegetables, fresh vegetables, salad, bread, falafel, avocado, meat and fish.
Tahini dip contains about 12% protein and 25% good fat.
What do you need:
- High quality tahini (such as Gil's Bio Tahini)
- cold water
- lemon juice
- Garlic (fresh or powdered)
- Salty
- For garnish: chopped parsley / chopped mint leaves / paprika / chili powder
1
Add cold water to the tahini. The ratio should be approximately 60%-50% tahini and 40%-50% water
2
Mix slowly, adding salt and other seasonings if you like
4
Mix until this happens, a smooth creamy dip. If it is too coarse, add some water or lemon juice, if it is too runny, add some tahini.
Then garnish as desired or add chopped parsley to make green tahini
3
Add lemon juice, continue mixing
Make your own hummus
Probably the most famous dish that can be prepared with tahini.
Hummus is made with cooked chickpeas, tahini and spices/herbs. It can be served as a dip, side dish or as a main dish. Hummus that you make yourself is very healthy because it contains a lot of fiber, good fats, proteins and minerals.
You can “personalize” your hummus to your taste, we will try to inspire you with some examples.
IMPORTANT: Always start with high-quality tahini!
How do you recognize good tahini:
- odor: should smell like lightly roasted sesame
- Try it #1: should be creamy and taste like sesame (and not earthy/mushy)
- Try it #2: should not be too bitter, you should feel a slight sweetness and a slight “umami” taste
- Mix it up: Take a spoon and mix it up. If it is too hard to mix with a spoon, it is probably ground too coarsely. We prefer the fine grind because it is easier to mix and absorbs more liquids
Lazy? No problem!
- Use canned boiled chickpeas
- Use bottled lemon juice
- Use dried herbs such as dry garlic
Do you want to do everything yourself?
- Soak chickpeas in water overnight
- Boil the chickpeas in water, a pinch of salt and a pinch of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). The baking soda softens the chickpeas, giving you an extra creamy hummus. You also save cooking time.
- Cook until the chickpeas are soft
Basic recipe for hummus
Ingredients:
- Cooked chickpeas (canned or home cooked)
- Good quality tahini
- Spices: lemon juice, salt, garlic, parsley, cumin
Preparation method:
– Place the cooked chickpeas in a bowl with some of the cooking water. Do not add too much cooking water, about 20% of the total volume. As you gain more experience, you will know exactly which ratio suits you best.
– Add the tahini to the bowl, between 10% and 30% of the total volume. The more tahini, the creamier the hummus.
– Season: some lemon juice, salt, cumin, garlic (garlic powder also works!)
– Now mix everything with a (stick) blender into a smooth paste. If it is too hard or sticky, add a little more cooking water to soften the mixture.
Hummus tastes better when it is fresh and lukewarm (not cold, not hot)
Serve with your favorite bread. We love a fresh, fluffy pita
Hummus Toppings
Add anything you like:
- boiled egg
- olive oil
- boiled chickpeas/
- cooked broad beans
- lemon juice
- Baked Aubergine
- fried mushrooms
- Tahini dip
- grilled pepper (spicy/sweet)
- chopped parsley
- roasted pine nuts