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Tahini () (, or in Iraq: ( rashi-راشي)) is a Middle Eastern condiment (a seed butter) made from ground sesame seeds. The most common variety comes from hulled seeds, but unhulled ones can also be used; the latter variety is slightly bitter, but more nutritious. The seeds are more commonly roasted than raw. Tahini can be served by itself (as a dip), made into a salad dressing, or used as a major ingredient in hummus, baba ghanoush, and halva.
Tahini is used in the cuisines of the Levant and Eastern Mediterranean, the South Caucasus, the Balkans, South Asia, Central Asia, and amongst Ashkenazi Jews as well as parts of Russia and North Africa. Sesame paste, used in some East Asian cuisines, may differ only slightly from tahini.
Tahini is mentioned as an ingredient of hummus kasa, a recipe transcribed in an anonymous 13th-century Arabic cookbook, Kitab Wasf al-Atima al-Mutada.
In his 14th-century work Kaftor va-Perach (Hebrew language: כפתור ופרח), Ishtori Haparchi wrote that the inhabitants of the Land of Palestine in his time consumed Tahini, made by grinding sesame seeds and mixing them with date honey.
Sesame paste is an ingredient in some Chinese cuisine and Japanese cuisine dishes; Sichuan cuisine uses it in some recipes for dandan noodles. Sesame paste is also used in Indian cuisine.Sanjeev Kapoor, Khazana of Indian Vegetarian Recipes, p. 94
In North America, sesame tahini, along with other raw , was available by 1940 in health food stores.
Because of tahini's high oil content, some manufacturers recommend refrigeration to prevent spoilage. Others do not recommend refrigeration, as it makes the product more viscous and more difficult to serve.
The color of the produced tahini is affected by the kind of sesame used, untoasted sesame produces a bright colored tahini, toasted or unshelled sesame produces tahini with a darker color, black sesame produces a tahini with a deep black color (dubbed "black tahini").
In many parts of the Middle East, it is spread on bread and eaten as a quick snack or breakfast. Alternatively, bread can be dipped into tahini sweetened by a syrup such as grape syrup, carob syrup, or date syrup; the sweetener may vary by region.
In Egyptian culinary traditions, tehina is often made by blending it with lemon juice, garlic, and water, resulting in a smooth, ivory-colored condiment. This sauce is commonly seasoned with salt and cumin to enhance its flavor. The consistency can be adjusted by varying the amount of water, making it suitable as a dip, dressing, or accompaniment to various dishes.
Tehina sauce holds a prominent place in Egyptian cuisine, frequently accompanying dishes such as falafel, ful medames and grilled meats like kofta. Its creamy texture and tangy profile complement the robust flavors of most foods, making it a staple on Egyptian dining tables.
In the West Bank city of Nablus, tahina is mixed with qizha paste to make "black tahina", used in baking.
It is also commonly sweetened with grape syrup and eaten with pita bread.
Greece
In Greece, tahini () is used as a spread on bread either alone or topped with honey or jam. Jars of tahini ready-mixed with honey or cocoa are available in the breakfast food aisles of Greek supermarkets.
Iran
In Iran, tahini is called ardeh (ارده]]) in Persian language. It is used to make halvardeh (حلوا ارده), a kind of halva made of tahini, sugar, Egg white, and other ingredients. It is also eaten during breakfast, usually with an accompanying sweet substance, such as grape syrup, date syrup, honey, or Fruit preserves. Ardeh and halvardeh are among the souvenirs of the Iranian cities of Yazd and Ardakan.
Iraq
In Iraq, tahini is known as rashi (), and is mixed with date syrup (rub) to make a sweet dessert usually eaten with bread.
Israel
In Israel, tahini ( ṭḥina) is a staple foodstuff. It is served as a dip with flat bread or pita, a topping for many foods such as falafel, sabich, Jerusalem mixed grill and shawarma, and as an ingredient in various spreads. It is also used as a sauce for meat and fish, and in sweet desserts like halva,Rogov, Daniel, Halvah Parfait halva ice cream and . It is also served baked in the oven with kufta made of lamb or beef with spices and herbs, or with a whole fish in the coastal areas and the Sea of Galilee.
Levant
In the Levant, tahini (Levantine Arabic: ṭḥine) is a staple food and is used in various spreads and culinary preparations. It is the main ingredient of the Ṭaraṭor (sauce) which is used with falafel and shawarma. It is also used as a sauce for meat and fish. It is an ingredient in a seafood dish called siyadiyeh.
Palestine
In the Gaza Strip, a rust-colored variety known as "red tahina" is served in addition to ordinary tahina. It is achieved by a different and lengthier process of roasting the sesame seeds, and has a more intense taste. Red tahina is used in sumagiyya (lamb with chard and sumac) and salads native to the Fellah from the surrounding villages, as well as southern Gaza.
9781859644621 . ISBN 9781859644621 By Rozanne Gold
Turkey
In Turkey, tahini () is mixed with pekmez to make tahin-pekmez, which is often served as a breakfast item or after meals as a sweet dip for breads.
See also
Categories: Sesame Dishes, Nut And Seed Butters, 1930s Neologisms, Food Ingredients, Food Paste, Spreads, Arab Cuisine, Armenian Cuisine, Cypriot Cuisine, Greek Cuisine, Egyptian Cuisine, Iranian Cuisine, Iraqi Cuisine, Israeli Cuisine, Jordanian Cuisine, Lebanese Cuisine, Levantine Cuisine, Palestinian Cuisine, Syrian Cuisine, Turkish Cuisine, White Sauces, Middle Eastern Cuisine, Jewish Cuisine, Balkan Cuisine
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