Homemade tahini

The other day, I asked my husband to pick up some sesame seeds on the way home. Instead of the little packet I was expecting, he plonked a 500g bag on the counter. That’ll to take years to get through, I thought ungratefully…

I know that I have nothing to complain about. My husband and daughters are willing to pop to the shops at a moment’s notice, and generally return with a reasonable approximation of the requested item.

(Not like a former housemate who went to buy half a dozen eggs and returned with a six-pack of beer. “I knew it was six of something,” he said.)

And without that enormous bag of sesame seeds, I might not have discovered how easy it is to make tahini. Or how there is no comparison between fresh tahini and the pale lump of hardened sludge submerged in low-grade oil that is most store-bought tahini. Or how amazingly good it tastes.

I mainly use tahini to make hummus, but it makes a great sauce for falafel, or dressing for Turkish white bean salad – and tahini cookies are a lovely alternative to peanut butter.

Tahini
(makes about ¾ cup)

• 1 cup raw sesame seeds
• 3 Tb sunflower oil (more if needed)

1. Heat a dry, cast-iron frying pan over a medium-low flame.
2. Fry the sesame seeds, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Take care not to overcook them.
3. Cool slightly then transfer to a food processor. With the machine running, slowly add the oil and blend to a smooth, pourable paste.
4. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Tags: dairy-free, gluten-free, Middle Eastern food, sesame seeds, vegan, vegetarian