How to make Tahini/Tahina paste and Basic Tahini/ Tahina Sauce

Tahini/Tahina Sauce

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Tahini or tahina is paste widely used in Middle Eastern, Mediterraneanan, in south Caucasus region (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia) and parts of north Afria. It’s super creamy paste made from toasted ground hulled sesame seeds. We use it to make various tahini sauce. Also, It is a main ingredient in the making of hummus, baba ghanoush etc. It is savory and mildly nutty. Now, the tahini sauce is made by blending tahini paste with lemon juice/lime, garlic and water. The consistency of the sauce can be adjust according to the amount of water added. Thus it can be made into a salad dressing, dip, spread etc. Also, we can bring about variations in the sauce by tweaking the ingredients added. Spices, herbs and roasted vegetables can be added to this basic tahini sauce recipe to elevate it furthur.

I discovered this sauce when I came to Abu Dhabi, as it is an accompaniment with pita bread/ khuooz, falafel, shawarma etc. Arabic food is one of our family favorite, so I explored the making of this sauce. We make this sauce often at home. It's versatile, vagan and super healthy sauce. And it comes to gather in just 5-10 minutes, if you have the tahini paste. The tahini paste is also super easy to make. So let's get started with the recipe of tahini paste and thahini sauce.

Recipe of how to make tahini/tahina and basic tahini/ tahina Sauce

Cusine: Middle Eastern, Mediterranean cusine

Makes around 1/2 cup tahini paste

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Makes around 1/2 cup tahini sauce.

cooking time :5-10 minutes

Section 1: Ingredients

Ingredients for making Tahini paste:

• 1 cup of sesame seeds

• 2-3 tbsp of unflavoured vegetable oil like canola oil or light olive oil

• 1/8 tsp salt

Ingredients for making Tahini sauce :

• 1/4 cup thahini paste

• 1/8 tsp lime jiuce

• 1 garlic colve

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 2 ice cubes and

• 1-2 tbsp cold water

Section 2: Equipment used

For Tahini paste: Heavy bottom pan for roasting sesame seeds Mixer/Food processor

For tahini sauce : Equipment Mixer/Food processor

Section 3: Recipe video

The recipe video below contains making of both thahini paste and thahini sauce, for better understanding watch it before reading the instrctions.

Section 4: Directions

Derctions to make tahini paste:

1. In a heavy bottomed pan roast sesame seeds until aromatic and lightly coloured. (not brown)

2. Transfer the roasted sesame seeds to a plate and allow to cool until it is just warm to touch.

3. Then trnafer it to a mixer/blender/food processor and blend it pausing every 30 seconds.

4. Grind until it turns crumbly paste consistency.

5. And then add 2 tbsp oil of non flavoured oil and grind the paste to form creamy and pourable cocnsistency paste.

6. If it does not form creamy and pourable consistency, then add 1 more tbsp of oil and grind.

7. Add 1/8th tsp salt and blend it once again and your tahini paste is ready.

Directions to make tahini sauce:

1. To the mixer/blender add tahini paste, 1 clove of garlic, lime juice and salt and grind it for 30 seconds

2. Intially it firms up then add ice cubes and blend it once again

3. And the tahini sauce is ready!

Tahini Sauce with falafel, raw vegetables and pita bread.

Section 5: Storing instructions, serving suggestions and conclution:

The tahini paste can be stroed in the refergerator for 1 month or so. And it can be used to make tahini sauce, hummus etc. Click on this link to check the recipe video of how to make hummus.

Now, tahini sauce can be served with falafel, pita bread, roasted or raw vegetables etc. It can be used as salad dressing, dip or spread etc.

Tahini sauce with multi grain pita bread and salad.

Hoping you give this recipe a try. Please do send your feedback and comments. Happy cooking. Stay healthy, stay happy.

Yummily,Vinitha