For some time I had planned to write the recipe for tahina.
Tahina is a sesame sauce I had often read about in cookbooks and knew was available pre-made, but honestly I was a little skeptical about it. Until I finally had the chance to get to know it, thanks to a cooking course I attended.
I occasionally come back to talk about that great cooking course that taught me so many new recipes that have become essential for me.
Tahina is one of those recipes and it was truly a discovery.
Looking for some more information about tahina, also called tahin or tahini, I learned that it is very nutritious, rich in vitamins E and B and minerals, and contains all the beneficial properties of sesame (which I talked about in this article on oilseeds). It protects the liver and lowers cholesterol. But it is a rather calorie-dense sauce, so it’s best not to overdo it. 😉
Tahina is known for being used in the making of hummus and baba ghanoush or as a sauce to accompany meats, vegetables or the well-known falafel.
One thing I understood thanks to the cooking course is that this sauce can be made in different ways and, if you want, even enriched.
First of all, it can be prepared the way I propose today, which is the recipe provided in the course handout that I keep treasuredly after finishing the course. This is the method using untoasted sesame seeds soaked in water. As far as I know, this is not a very common method. In fact, the most widespread version is made with toasted sesame.
Tahina made with toasted seeds, for me and my family, is a bit too “toasty”, that is, it has a slightly too intense flavor for our taste. And we are used to the taste of toasted sesame, given how much we like gomasio, but for tahina we prefer a milder taste. It should also be said that the toasted-seed version is much quicker to make, since toasting only takes a couple of minutes, and that can sometimes be important.
Update: I also tried a sunflower seed version, extremely quick to prepare and very good — a valid alternative if you don’t have sesame seeds. Try it too! 😊
Maybe over time I’ll try and write the toasted-seed version as well, but today I want to start with this tahina made with untoasted seeds soaked in water. It’s delicate and very versatile in the kitchen.
And I really love it even in a sweet version, with jam. Especially blueberry jam. Try it because it’s really wonderful!
〰 〰 〰
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: small jar: 1
- Cooking methods: No cooking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 1 cup (about 5.3 oz / 150 g) sesame seeds
- 3 2/3 tbsp (about 54 ml / 1.8 fl oz) corn oil (sesame oil would be ideal)
- water (as needed for soaking)
Tools
- Bowl
- Chopper
Steps
Soak the sesame seeds in water for several hours.
👉 The purpose of soaking is to remove the bitter aftertaste of sesame seeds. In my opinion a slight bitter note remains, but I don’t find it unpleasant — in fact I like it a lot.
Drain the seeds and dry them with kitchen paper or a cloth.
Put the seeds in the blender jar and blend them while pouring in the oil little by little.
👉 Some people pound the seeds in a mortar, but I haven’t tried that yet. I find the blender works very well for me. The important thing is to blend intermittently so the blades — and thus the sauce — don’t get hot.
👉 The amount of oil can be varied depending on the consistency you want. The optimal consistency is thick (in vegan cooking tahina is often used in place of butter), so my advice is to add oil little by little until you reach the desired density.
Store the tahina in the fridge in a closed jar.
For me it’s excellent simply eaten spread on tartines or crostini, but I especially like it paired with other flavors.
For example, spicy with chili, or with the addition of chopped hazelnuts, or decorated with poppy seeds. Truly delicious.
And here is the version with blueberry jam — delicious!
And then, tahina is at its best as a base for other sauces. For example, I used it to make a white bean hummus that was out of this world (this cannellini hummus)!!
Salt-free tips
The original recipe calls for a pinch of salt, but I wouldn’t add it at all — to me it’s already flavorful enough as it is! 😃
If you are interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
▫ Reduce salt gradually so the palate can adjust slowly and not notice the progressive reduction.
▫ Use spices: chili, pepper, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin…
▫ Use aromatic herbs: basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, mint…
▫ Use seeds: sesame, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts…
▫ Use pungent vegetables or fruits: garlic, onion, lemon, orange…
▫ Use my salt-free vegetable granulate
▫ Prefer fresh foods.
▫ Avoid boiling in water; prefer cooking methods that preserve flavors (grill, parcel, steam, microwave).
▫ Avoid bringing the salt shaker to the table!
▫ Occasionally allow yourself a treat — it’s good for the mood and helps you persevere.
If you cannot or do not want to give up salt:
▫ You can still try my recipes and season to your usual taste. 🙂
Follow me!
On my new WhatsApp channel and on Instagram, on my Facebook page, on Pinterest and in my two groups: Il gruppo di Catia, in cucina e oltre and Proprio quello che stavo cercando! — and if you like… sign up for my Newsletter.
