Tahini

Tahini dip
Tahini, jar 453g. (Natural oil separation is visible at the top)

Tahini, or tehina, or sesame paste, is a paste of ground sesame seeds used in cooking. Middle Eastern tahini is made of hulled, lightly roasted seeds. East Asian sesame paste is made of unhulled seeds.

Tahini is a major component of hummus bi tahini and other Middle Eastern foods. It is sold fresh or dehydrated.

Sesame paste is an ingredient in some Chinese, Korean, and Japanese dishes; it is a key ingredient of the Szechuan dish Dan dan noodles. Because East Asian sesame paste is made from unhulled seeds, it is more bitter than tahini, and higher in some nutrients.

Contents

Etymology

Tahini is an Arabic loanword to English. طحينة IPA: [tˁaħiːnah], or more accurately ṭaḥīnīa طحينية, is derived from the root طحن tˁ-ħ-n which as a verb means 'to grind'.[1] It is also closely related to طحين IPA: [tˁaħiːn] 'flour'.

History

Tahini is mentioned as an ingredient of Hummus Kasa, a recipe transcribed in an anonymously penned 13th century Arabic cookbook, Kitab Wasf al-Atima al-Mutada.[2]

Uses

Tahini paste is used in a variety of dishes. Tahini-based sauces are common in Arab and Israeli restaurants as a side dish or as a garnish, usually including lemon juice, salt and garlic, and thinned with water. Tahini sauce is a popular condiment for meat and vegetables in Middle Eastern cuisine. It is also a main ingredient in soups. As a spread, tahini can replace peanut butter on bread, though the flavor and texture are quite different.

In Turkey, tahini mixed with pekmez is common as a breakfast item, especially in the wintertime.

In Iraq and some gulf countries, tahini is mixed with date syrup (rub) to make a sweet dessert usually eaten with bread.

In Cyprus, tahini is mixed with a sort of pastry along with sugar making a sweet dessert or breakfast side dish.

Tahini is also the main ingredient in the Mediterranean type of halva.

Tahini is becoming more common in European cuisine and can be found as an ingredient in some pre-packaged sandwiches.

Tahini is an ingredient in the arab food Hummus.

References

  1. ↑ Basan and Basan, 2006, p. 146.
  2. ↑ Alice Fordham (October 10 2008). "Middle Eats: What are Lebanon’s chances of legally laying claim to hummus?". NOW Lebanon. Retrieved on 2008-11-25.

Bibliography

  • Basan, Ghillie; Basan, Jonathan (2006), The Middle Eastern Kitchen: A Book of Essential Ingrediants with Over 150 Authentic Recipes, Hippocrene Books, ISBN 0781811902, 9780781811903 
Ghyu (359).JPEG  This Arab cuisine-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.