Dips or sauces are a great way to add a zing of flavours or bring out the texture and essence of your food that can be enjoyed with bread, crackers, dumplings or a bowl full of tortilla chips. Chutney, dips or sauces make a perfect accompaniment to every meal that enriches it to a whole new delightful level that’s desired. But has this popular Middle Eastern condiment ever caught your attention until now? Tahini is a creamy, velvety and super delicious condiment that is coarsely ground and made up using toasted ground hulled sesame. In Middle Eastern cuisine, Tahini is a popular topping for meat and vegetables that brings out the additional flavours that gush down our throats in every bite. Tahini is a ubiquitous sauce profoundly used in the Levant, Eastern Mediterranean, and North Africa. Tahini is a word of Arabic origin derived from the verb ‘ Tahana’, which means to grind. The first reference to the use of sesame dates back to thousands of years ago in a religious script that mentions the custom of serving the gods to a sesame wine. Earlier in the olden days, sesame was seen as a significant source of oil. Tahini as a sauce developed after finding its mention in a recipe book, where it was used as an essential ingredient in hummus. Over time, Tahini has become one of the most demanded sauces worldwide, which is also used as a significant ingredient in making a heap of dishes.
How can you prepare it at home?
Tahini is prepared using sesame seeds soaked in the water and then crushed to separate the bran from the kernel. The crushed seeds are absorbed in the water until the bran sinks to the bottom. Then, the floating kernels are skimmed off the surface, toasted and ground to an oily paste. An extra drizzle of tahini sauce can enrich every single dish you feel like adding it to. Here's the full recipe you can enjoy at home.