A simple pumpkin soup with tahini becomes special with the addition of sesame cream.

Do you know tahini? It’s a sauce made from sesame seeds, originating from the Middle East, used in the West mainly for its nutritional properties.

It’s said that tahini is the oldest condiment known, as sesame has been cultivated in the East since ancient times. It’s thick, with a nutty and sesame flavor, very delicious. Naturally, like all seed or nut butters, it’s hard to eat by the spoonful, but it’s perfect in various recipes.

Tahini is made with toasted sesame seeds, blended with a bit of oil and a pinch of salt.

Ways to use tahini? Try spreading it on whole-grain bread with a thin layer of fruit compote. Use it just like you would peanut butter. Perhaps the most recognized use is in making hummus and babaganoush.

Its nutritional properties are very interesting, as tahini is rich in protein, Omega 3, 6, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus.

You can make it at home, and find the link to my recipe below, or buy it ready-made, preferably in a health food store, since some tahinis are made from contaminated sesame, and make sure it doesn’t contain preservatives or whiteners. So instead of an ethnic store, I prefer the organic store.

In this case, instead of a drizzle of oil on the soup, I added a nice tablespoon of tahini.

See below where I usually use tahini in recipes: