tahini

Tahini dip

Tahini (also tehina) (Arabic: طحينه‎), is a paste of ground sesame seeds used in North African, Greek, Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisine. It is made of hulled seeds. East Asian tahini is made of unhulled seeds. It is served as a dip on its own or as a major component of hummus and halva.

Etymology

Tahini is a loanword from Arabic طحينة [tˤaħiːna], or more accurately ṭaḥīnīa طحينية, is derived from the root طحن ṭ-ḥ-n which as a verb means "to grind",^[1] the same root as طحين [tˤaħiːn], flour.

The standard Arabic spelling طحينة ends in an ah sound (ة) and is pronounced with an a,ah, or uh sound in most Arabic dialects. In Syrian and Lebanese dialects, however, this sound is generally pronounced eh. Since most 19th and early 20th century Middle Eastern immigrants to English-speaking countries were Christians from Syria and Lebanon, this may be the origin of the English usage of the final i.

The word "tahini" appears in English by the late 1930s.^[2][3]

Plain, unprocessed sesame paste with no added ingredients is sometimes known as "raw tahini".^[4]

History

The oldest mention of sesame is in a cuneiform document written 4,000 years ago that describes the custom of serving the gods sesame wine. The historian Herodotus writes about the cultivation of sesame 3,500 years ago in the region of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. It was mainly used as a source of oil.^[5]

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.^[6] Sesame paste is an ingredient in some Chinese, Korean, and Japanese dishes; it is used in some versions of the Szechuan dish Dan dan noodles. Sesame paste is also used in Indian cuisine.^[7] In the United States, sesame tahini, along with other raw nut butters, was available by 1940 in health food stores.^[2]

Preparation

Tahini is made from sesame seeds that are soaked in water and then crushed to separate the bran from the kernels. The crushed seeds are soaked in salt water, causing the bran to sink. The floating kernels are skimmed off the surface, toasted, and ground to produce an oily paste.^[8]

Culinary uses

Hummus and ful topped with tahini

Tahini-based sauces are common in Middle Eastern restaurants as a side dish or as a garnish, usually including lemon juice, salt and garlic, and thinned with water. Tahini sauce is also a popular topping for meat and vegetables in Middle Eastern cuisine.

In Turkey, tahini (tahin in Turkish) is mixed with pekmez to form a dish called tahin-pekmez. Due to its high-caloric nature, it is served as a breakfast item or after meals as a dessert to dip pieces of bread in, especially during the wintertime.

In Iraq and some Persian Gulf countries, tahini is mixed with date syrup (rub) to make a sweet dessert usually eaten with bread. In Cyprus, tahini is used as dipping for bread and in pitta souvlaki rather than tzatziki, which is customary in 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.

In Israel, tahini (t'hina in Hebrew) is a staple foodstuff. It is served as a dip with pita, a topping for falafel and shwarma, and as an ingredient in various spreads. It is also used as a cooking sauce for meat and fish^[9] and in sweet desserts like halva parfait.^[10]

In the Gaza Strip, a rust color 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 falaheen from the surrounding villages, as well as southern Gaza.

Nutritional information

Tahini is an excellent source of copper, manganese and the amino acid methionine.^[11] Tahini is a source of the healthy fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6.^[12]

Tahini in a jar with natural oil separation visible at the top)

Tahini made from raw sesame seeds is lower in fat than tahini made from roasted seeds^[13][14]

Tahini's relatively high levels of calcium and protein make it a useful addition to vegetarian and vegan diets, as well as to raw food diets when eaten in its unroasted form. Compared to peanut butter, tahini has higher levels of fiber and calcium and lower levels of sugar and saturated fats.^[15]

References