Onion-tahini sauce

Onion tahini sauce is a legacy of my student days, when I would make this dish most weeks.

And not just because it was dirt cheap. The tahini, cumin and soy sauce come together in an unexpectedly delicious, savoury, satisfying way, delivering a wallop of what I now know to be umami.

This recipe is from The Vegetarian Family: With recipes for a healthier life by Victor and Runa Zurbel. Somewhat dated and long out of print, this cookbook started me down the road to vegetarianism.

While we now include some meat in our diet, I still regularly cook a number of their recipes.

Onion-tahini sauce
(serves 2)

• 1 Tb olive oil
• 4 medium onions, peeled and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 2 Tb soy sauce
• 4 Tb tahini
• ¼ cup water (or as needed)

1. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium flame.
2. Add the onions and sauté for about ten minutes, or until soft and golden.
3. Add the garlic and cook a few minutes more. Stir in the cumin powder, then the soy sauce.
4. Drizzle over the tahini, stirring to coat.
5. Add a splash of water, and cook until you have a thick, smooth sauce.
6. Serve over brown rice.

Tags: dairy-free, gluten-free, onions, tahini, vegan, vegetarian