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Knowing more about ingredients makes you a better cook. The more you know, the more you can freestyle in the kitchen.
So letās talk about one of my favorite ingredients lately: tahini.
Tahini is so much more than something you add to hummus.
It can be used across cuisines and in both savory and sweet applications. Best part? You can quickly turn it into one of my favorite sauces for roasted meats or charred vegetables. I especially love it for vegetarian meals because it instantly makes a dish more satisfying!
Itās made from ground sesame seeds that may be soaked, hulled, and/or toasted. You can think of it like nut butter.
So whatās it taste like?
On its own, tahini has a strong sesame flavor. Itās nutty and creamy. And itās a tahini bit bitter. š But in a bittersweet kind of way.
We all know what itās like to buy an ingredient for a recipe, use a tablespoon of it, and then never touch the jar again. And I bet youāve done that with tahini after making hummus. But donāt worry! I got you.
First up, my favorite. Make a quick tahini sauce. Mix tahini with lemon juice and water, a grated garlic clove, and a pinch of salt. I like a ratio of 4 parts tahini to 1 part lemon juice to 1 part water. If itās too thick, add a teaspoon of water at a time to thin it out until itās a drizzleable (I think thatās a word) consistency.
Pour it over roasted cauliflower, charred eggplant, seared chicken breasts, or even a bowl of chickpeas.
Here are few more ideas:
Like most ingredients, brands differ. Some are thicker. Some are sweeter. The best way is to try a few different ones and pick your favorite.
I like to go for ones that are made using toasted sesame seeds. To me, they have a better flavor. š
While separation is natural and going to happen, a good tahini should be easy to remix until it is smooth. If you grab a spoon and feel like youāve hit rock bottom when you dive into the jar, it might be worth trying a different brand.
But remember this. Donāt feel the pressure to pick the āperfectā tahini. Itās more important that you find one you like and get used to using it. For example, you may want a tahini sauce to be thinner so itās drizzeable. But you may use a thicker brand of tahini. All good! You just use more liquid than a recipe calls for to thin it out.
You can store tahini in a pantry or refrigerator! Either works. It will be thicker when stored in the fridge and be slower to separate. On the other hand, it will be more difficult to recombine.
The nice thing is that tahini lasts a while. Like months usually. How do you know if itās gone bad? You can smell it when itās rancid. š
I hope youāre inspired to grab that jar of tahini off the back shelf and put it to use. But if you havenāt used it in a while, sometimes the lid will stick. Just make sure to utter the magic phrase: āopen sesameā. š
Luciano šØāš³
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