The tahina (or tahini) is a paste made from sesame seeds with a unique flavor, widely used in Middle Eastern cooking. It is the essential ingredient in hummus, but it also enriches sauces, savory dishes and even desserts. Preparing it at home with the Monsieur Cuisine is really simple and will allow you to obtain a fresh, wholesome paste that you can customize to your tastes.
Compared to the store-bought version, homemade tahina is more aromatic and you can adjust its consistency by choosing the amount of oil. With this recipe you’ll always have a fresh, creamy tahina without preservatives to give a special touch to your preparations!
In this guide you’ll discover how to make tahina step by step: ingredients, procedure and useful tips for storing it properly.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 1 jar (about 10.6 oz / 2 cups)
- Cooking methods: Cooking with a kitchen robot
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2 cups organic sesame seeds (hulled (white) or whole (dark) depending on taste)
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil (or sesame oil)
Steps
1. Toast the sesame seeds
You can choose to do this step with the robot or on the stove, toasting the sesame seeds in a non-stick pan. Use low heat so they don’t burn, stirring them while toasting. They should just release their aroma. Then let them cool before grinding. Alternatively, using the robot, put the sesame seeds in the bowl and select the Custom Cooking program: set 194°F – 10 minutes – Speed 2. Open the bowl lid and let the toasted seeds cool.
2. Process with the Monsieur Cuisine
If you have the reducer insert, which is very useful, install it in the bowl; otherwise it’s fine even without it. The bowl reducer helps keep the mixture at the bottom without spreading it all over the container. Process the sesame seeds in 3 stages. Set: Custom Cooking – Temperature 32°F – Speed 8 for 1 minute. At the end, push the sesame seeds down to the bottom of the bowl and take a short pause before repeating the operation for the second time.
At this point add the salt (I also add a pinch of sugar or a little agave syrup; it creates a slight contrast and makes it very appealing), pour in the oil and blend for the third time again at Temperature 32°F – Speed 8 for 3 minutes. You should obtain a smooth, velvety cream.
If you prefer it more fluid, increase the amount of oil by about 1–1.5 tbsp.
3. Storage
Transfer the tahina to a sterilized glass jar, close it well and store it in the refrigerator. It stays fresh for about 3–4 weeks.
Tips and variations
– You can use pre-toasted sesame seeds to speed up the preparation.
– If you love intense flavors, try toasted sesame oil instead of sunflower oil.
– For a lighter version, reduce the amount of oil to obtain a thicker tahina.
