The famous “fast food” buns with sesame seeds, rolls in Japanese restaurants, samsa with pies in bakeries... Any pastry sprinkled with sesame seeds immediately takes on a sophisticated look and becomes much tastier. You can buy sesame in any store, it is quite inexpensive - unlike its relative tahini. Recipes for tahini paste have been found in cookbooks for several centuries, but in our country it remains an overseas delicacy. It's time to get acquainted with this miracle product and learn how to cook it.

Tahini or tahini?

Sesame is translated as sesame. According to ancient beliefs, this plant is a mystical key that opens mysterious doors. It’s not for nothing that in Arabic fairy tales Ali Baba shouted “Open Sesame!” - without stories about a wonderful seasoning, many fairy tales simply would not have been born.

That’s why tahini is often called sesame paste – because it is prepared exclusively from sesame seeds. Its other names are tahina and tahini. Underneath the mysterious name lies a thick mass made from ground sesame seeds mixed with oil.

To make tahini easier to cook and eat, it is diluted with water to create a creamy beige sauce similar to sour cream. Depending on the national traditions and fantasies of the cook, aromatic lemon juice, salts and spices, honey, all kinds of syrups and other additives can be added to tahini. But the base is always sesame - white, black, golden or red.

Sesame opened

If sesame was mentioned in ancient fairy tales, then the patrimony of tahini is cookbooks and medical treatises. Miracle paste was eaten as a ready-made dish, added to meat or other sauces.

Tahini recipes have been found in books since the 13th century. And the very first sesame dishes were mentioned in cuneiform instructions! That is, about 4000 years ago. Don't forget this when you grind sesame seeds in your own kitchen: you are preparing a truly legendary dish!

Sesame is an Arabian plant, but many eastern peoples have discovered the delights of tahini - right up to China. Dishes with tahini are found in Indian, Chinese, Japanese and Korean cuisine. One of the recipes for the famous Chinese Szechuan noodles is also prepared with a sesame base. And the classic snack of Jewish cuisine and the favorite delicacy of vegans around the world - hummus - also cannot be made without tahini.

Varieties of tahina

Tahini paste is a living recipe. It is constantly changing, acquiring new flavors, transforming the most familiar dishes. On sale you can find tahini in several shades - snow-white, cream, dark beige. It depends on the type of sesame that is used for preparation. The dark paste is bitter, but it contains more useful substances. Often, the manufacturer mixes the seeds to combine both healing properties and a pleasant taste in the product.

In addition to sesame seeds, you can add all kinds of ingredients to tahini sauce - from salty to sweet. Therefore, there are several types of tahina:

• with sesame oil and water;
• with olive or almond oil;
• with hot pepper;
• with lemon juice and garlic;
• with orange juice;
• with honey;
• with sweet syrups;
• chocolate, etc.

In stores, tahini pastes “with delicacies” are often more expensive than natural tahini. And the composition often raises concerns - preservatives and stabilizers may not be harmless at all. Therefore, you can easily experiment with flavors at home. And starting with small portions will help you quickly understand which tahini you like best.

Tahini and urbech - what's the difference?

In health food stores, tahini and urbech (by the way, about urbech) are often on the same shelves - what is the difference? Both products are nut butters, both have a similar composition... But there are differences.

1. Tahini is made only from sesame seeds, there are no other options. Urbech is a paste made from any nuts and seeds. It can be made from flax, apricot seeds - and including sesame.
2. Tahini paste is usually made from dried and toasted sesame seeds. Urbech - raw.
3. Urbech is often a dessert product; it is mixed with honey. There are many recipes for tahini paste - with salt, pepper, and honey.

Most tahini pastes on the market can rightfully be called the word “urbech”. But not every Urbech is tahini, because it has a different base, not just sesame.

A little about the composition

The beneficial properties of sesame have been known since ancient times - modern doctors only confirm the healing power of these seeds. But there is one factor that worries all lovers of a healthy lifestyle: this is a very high-calorie product. And if some dietary salad, sprinkled with sesame seeds for beauty, is completely harmless, the situation with tahini is different.

Tahini contains pure sesame seeds and oil, so the calorie content of the product is quite high - 586 kcal. Eating it with spoons is dangerous, especially if you are strictly watching your weight. But this small drawback is more than made up for by the merits of the sauce.

Sesame tahini paste is a storehouse of vitamins, valuable minerals and unsaturated fatty acids - the main fighters for our active brain, healthy heart and clean blood vessels.

1. It contains a lot of vitamin A and PP, even more “vitamin of youth” E and almost the entire complex of vitamins B.
2. Superpaste also contains unsaturated fatty acids. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in tahini is 5.7:1, which is the optimal balance for the human body. Tired of it? A sesame delicacy will successfully replace it.
3. A large amount of calcium - 960 mg per 100 g of product - makes Arabic sauce useful for both children and the elderly. This element is indispensable both for a growing body and for women during menopause, when bones begin to lose calcium and become fragile.
4. Tahini calcium is completely absorbed by the body. This is due to the phosphorus in the composition - this element also supports brain function and muscle activity.
5. Tahini sauce is also beneficial for men's health - the zinc in the composition increases sexual desire and increases potency. And those same fatty acids also stimulate the production of serotonin, the hormone of joy. So it can rightfully be called a delicacy.

Benefits and harms

We have already found out what tahini is, but what features does it have? The value of Arabic paste is comparable to the benefits of sesame oil - while tahini is tastier and is much more widely used. It's considered a superfood, along with chia seeds, buckwheat and other foods: great taste and culinary popularity combined with powerful healing powers.

Regular use of tahini paste will help:

• improve the functioning of the digestive system and ensure regular bowel movements;
• cure indigestion (in combination with honey);
• cope with chronic fatigue and easily withstand daily stress;
• improve the condition of hair and skin, remove youthful pimples and smooth out age wrinkles;
• get rid of neuralgic pain;
• clean blood vessels and remove cholesterol plaques;
• strengthen the immune system, especially during seasonal colds;
• support liver health;
• cope with the manifestations of menopause in women - due to plant hormones phytoestrogens.

Eastern superfood has virtually no contraindications. But in some situations, excessive use of the product can be harmful.

Tahina is dangerous for allergy sufferers: grains and nuts are very often strong allergens. This pasta is not advisable on the menu and if you are obese. You should also use it with caution in case of chronic diseases of the liver and pancreas - tahini can provoke an exacerbation.

Where can I get sesame paste?

Healthy eating is in fashion today, so buying tahini paste will not be difficult. Large supermarkets, health stores and online stores of oriental goods are vying with each other to offer this product. But its price is quite high - from 500 rubles. for 400 g.

Therefore, it is cheaper to prepare tahini at home - especially since the recipe is not at all complicated. The main thing is the right sesame. It is better to choose seeds at the market - ask the seller to give you a couple of grains to try. This way you can make sure they haven't gone rancid.

Sesame Tahini Paste Recipe

You will need: 300 g of sesame seeds, four large spoons of a (or).

First, soak the grains thoroughly. To do this, fill them with water, leave for 4 hours, then drain the liquid and cool the future superfood in the refrigerator for another 4 hours.

Line a baking sheet with parchment, lay out the grains, preheat the oven to plus 150°C and keep the sesame seeds in it until dry. Then increase the temperature to 200°C and bake the grains for 20 minutes, periodically opening the door and stirring. The base for the product should be evenly golden and not burn under any circumstances.

Then all that remains is to grind the seeds in a blender, gradually increasing the speed. If the paste is difficult to grind, add half the oil. When the sauce is ready, add the rest of the oil, run the blender for a couple more minutes - and you can transfer it to a jar.

Ready tahini can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week.

Tahini paste in cooking

Eastern superfood is a universal thing in the kitchen. You can use tahini in its pure form, prepare sauces based on it and add it to hot dishes (heat treatment does not spoil the delicate nutty taste).

Sesame paste is used in cooking for:

• preparing all types of hummus and falafel;
• fillings for pies and sandwiches;
• sweet pastries;
• spread on crackers and bread;
• knead sweet sesame halva;
• used as a sauce for barbecue and shawarma;
• make Japanese gomadare sauce;
• baked with fish and meat, etc.

There are quite a lot of recipes with tahini, as you probably already guessed, but we will share with you only two of our favorites.

Spicy hummus with parsley

You will need: - 1.5 cups, ¾ cup tahina, half a cup of lemon juice, 3 cloves of garlic, chili pepper to taste, 2 tablespoons of chopped salt, coarse salt (teaspoon), two small spoons of oil (olive is best).

Cover the chickpeas with water and leave to soak overnight. Then boil for 40 minutes in a slow cooker or in a saucepan, adding 0.5 teaspoon of salt. Grind the garlic with the remaining salt, throw it into a blender, add sesame sauce and lemon juice. Rub it white. Add half a glass of water and stir again.

Drain the water from the chickpeas (reserve half a glass), add the peas to the rest of the ingredients and mash the whole mass with a blender again. If the hummus is too thick, add chickpea water during the process.

Serve with parsley and olive oil.

Fish with tahini sauce

You will need: 500 g fillet of any white fish, half a glass of tahini, onion, sweet pepper and carrot - one each, 2 cloves of garlic, a handful of parsley, juice of one lemon, salt, pepper and - to taste.

Wash the fish, season with salt and pepper and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, finely chop the vegetables, fry and mix with parsley.

Prepare the sauce: tahini paste + lemon juice + garlic + cardamom + pinch of salt.

Remove the finished fish from the oven, place it in a mold, top with a layer of vegetables, then sauce. Bake for another 20 minutes.

I learned what tahini is and how to prepare it only after I moved to live in Israel. In Russia and Ukraine, this simple and healthy vegan dish is not yet widespread. And in vain!

Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds, very filling and healthy. In Mediterranean countries, it is eaten as an independent dish (spread on regular bread, on toast, on rice or rice), placed in pitas with vegetables, added as a sauce to salads, and a variety of dishes are also prepared on its basis (falafel, tahini cookies, eggplants in tahini, etc.).

Vegetarians and vegans love tahini because, thanks to its composition, it not only provides the body with a set of valuable substances (large amounts of calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamins), vegetable fats and proteins, but also serves as a kind of “energy drink” and gives a rush. strength and resistance to cold.

So, first you need to grind the sesame seeds as finely as possible in a coffee grinder. At first the process goes briskly, and then you notice that the coffee grinder begins to work with visible effort. Sesame flour turns into a denser, fatty mass, and sesame oil begins to separate. This is the moment we are trying to achieve.

Be careful not to burn the coffee grinder!

Transfer the sesame mixture to a deep plate. Squeeze the juice from the lemon. We put it in a glass.

Mix the sesame mixture with a fork, a pinch of salt, adding a little water. The number of components is at your discretion. There is no single recipe here.

The taste will depend on the ratio of components. You can make tahini more salty or less salty, noticeably sour or without pronounced lemon sourness. You can leave the natural taste of sesame, or you can add, for example, garlic or herbs.

Some people add olive oil - but in my opinion this is unnecessary. Tahini is already very high in calories.

The main rule: when preparing tahini from ground sesame mass, do not pour in a lot of water and all the lemon juice at once, and do not add a lot of salt. Added a little - try it. We decided that it would not be enough - add more. Gradually.

At the exit you should You will get a delicate creamy paste of a light beige hue. Density is a matter of your taste. You can make it thicker, you can make it thinner.

You shouldn’t make it too liquid, as then it will drip from your sandwiches. 😀

By the way, I haven’t eaten bread for several years now, so I eat tahini, spreading it on lettuce leaves, on a piece of cucumber, or on buckwheat bread. And most often I just add a spoonful of tahini to a cucumber and tomato salad.

Try it! Delicious!

That's all. I hope you understand that the wild and unknown beast “tahina” is just finely ground sesame mixed with water, lemon juice and salt. 😀

It’s always like this: health is in simplicity, beauty is in purity. And strength... You know what strength is. Power is in the truth!

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Tahini (or tahini)- sesame paste made from sesame seeds and water (or oil). Tahini is included in various dishes, in particular sauces. Tahini is part of the classic snack - hummus (chickpea and sesame paste).

As practice shows, sesame seeds can be bitter or not bitter, and this does not depend on the shelf life of sesame, there are simply such varieties. Therefore, if you buy sesame at the market, ask to try a few seeds. Otherwise, the tahini will turn out bitter.

Ingredients:

• sesame 1 cup
• sesame (or olive) oil 0.25 cups

Tahini - step-by-step recipe with photos

Pour sesame seeds onto a baking sheet and place in the oven at 100-110 degrees for 15 minutes. It takes on a golden color. Transfer to a blender. We begin to grind, twist for a minute or two. Then add the oil; you don’t have to pour it all out first.

We also turn on the blender. If you want a thinner paste, you can add all the oil.

We will soon be making hummus from tahini. Therefore, we pour the tahini into a jar. Can be stored in the refrigerator for several months. If after some time the oil separates, it’s not a big deal, just mix everything together and the tahini returns to its original state.

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A popular addition in oriental cuisine is tahini paste. It is sometimes called sesame, sesame, tahini or tahini. It is used to prepare many sauces, main dishes or desserts. She's also good on her own. Tahini gained popularity due to its original taste and beneficial properties. The composition of the original paste is 100% sesame seeds with a little water added to give the desired consistency.

Tahini - what is it?

The first mention of tahini appeared 4 thousand years ago. This is evidenced by the record of sesame wine, which was offered to the gods. Herodotus talked about the sesame fields located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, whose harvest was used to make vegetable oil or paste. In the 13th century, cookbooks contain recipes for hummus and some Indian, Japanese or Chinese dishes using tahini. The paste is used in making Szechuan noodles. In the United States, sesame sauce became popular in 1940, when healthy eating became fashionable.

Tahini is a paste that is light yellow, greenish yellow, or light beige in appearance. The consistency is like thick sour cream and tastes like peanut butter. The tahini paste itself is fatty and very nutritious, this should be taken into account by those people who are on a diet, counting every calorie. The high calorie content is offset by its beneficial qualities, one of which is improved digestion. You can purchase this product in a supermarket with a wide selection of products or in a special store that sells oriental sweets and other delicacies from the East.

Benefits and harms

The quality of tahini is determined by its composition. The paste contains sesame seeds ground to a homogeneous mass. One tablespoon of the finished mixture without additives contains:

• energy value – 85 kcal;
• protein – 2.6 g;
• fats – 7.2 g;
• carbohydrates – 3.2 g.

Sesame grains are rich in fatty acids. The same tablespoon contains 60 mg of omega-3 and 3.5 mg of omega-6. They have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the brain and cardiovascular system. Sesame is rich in minerals: calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, iron. Without these substances, malfunctions occur in the digestive system, nervous and cardiovascular systems. If there is a deficiency, the liver, kidneys, and brain suffer, anemia appears, and health deteriorates. Another important component of tahini is vitamin B1 (thiamine). It helps the digestive tract and nervous system function properly.

Experts name three main areas of beneficial effects of sesame paste on the human body:

1. Digestive system. Sesame grains are ground very finely when making paste, which allows the mass to be quickly absorbed by the body and improve the functioning of the digestive system. If you regularly consume 2-3 teaspoons of tahini per day, you will notice how your stool will improve and all problems associated with it will go away. The paste is recommended to be taken for gastrointestinal disorders as an assistant for digesting heavier foods.
2. Leather. Teenagers are prone to acne. Young boys and girls are very sensitive about their appearance at a young age, so skin care is the basis of self-confidence. Zinc, which is rich in tahini paste, helps fight acne. The effect of this mineral on the skin was stated by specialists from the Maryland Medical Center. To make acne disappear, it is recommended to eat 1 tablespoon of paste per day.
3. Hair. Beautiful thick hair needs vitamins and microelements. A lack of these substances leads to hair loss, which is often observed in people with an unbalanced diet. Cosmetologists recommend making masks based on sesame oil, but you can use another method. Use a few teaspoons of paste every day to restore your hair to its former volume and shine.

Sesame paste has the same properties as sesame oil. Both of these products have a number of contraindications. Tahini sauce is not recommended for use in the following cases:

1. Phlebeurysm. If you have such a problem, then it is better to abstain from this product, since the sesame oil in its composition provokes blood clotting.
2. Taking aspirin. The simultaneous use of this medicine and sesame in the form of tahini is not recommended.
3. Consumption of products containing oxalic acid. You should not get carried away with pasta if you eat a lot of cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, spinach, and other vegetables and fruits with a high content of oxalic acid.
4. Individual intolerance to sesame.

How to use sesame paste

Tahini is a frequent guest on the tables of the Middle East, Israel, Japan, China, and India. Main dishes are prepared from it, added to desserts, sauces and delicious pastries are prepared. To add a piquant taste, it is customary to add spices, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt to the paste. Bread, pita, pieces of fish or meat are dipped into the resulting dressing. It turns out very satisfying and tasty.

Tahini Recipes

Sesame paste is a unique additive. It harmonizes well with meat, fish or vegetables, as well as with sweet ingredients in desserts. Halva, beloved by those with a sweet tooth, according to the classic recipe, is prepared on the basis of sesame paste, and not from sunflower seeds. Here are the main dishes that contain tahini in classic recipes:

• Falafel. This is an oriental dish in the form of deep-fried bean and sesame balls.

• Hummus. A common chickpea puree with tahini in the east.

• Tahina pita. Pastries prepared in Crete and Greece. Looks like pies.
• Halva. In the east, halva is prepared using sesame paste, nuts and sugar.

You can make your own tahini at home. To do this, you will need sesame seeds and refined oil in the amount of 400 grams and 5 tablespoons. Choose your grains carefully; they should not be bitter. First, you need to soak them in water for four hours, then keep them in the refrigerator for the same amount of time. The next step will be drying and baking. Line a baking sheet with parchment and spread the wet seeds in an even layer.

Place them in the oven preheated to 180 degrees. As soon as the grains are dry, increase the heat to 200 degrees and bake for 20 minutes, during which the seeds need to be mixed. Cool, grind with a blender or coffee grinder until flour forms, first at low speed, then at high speed. Add vegetable oil during the process. The pasta is ready.

Fish with tahini sauce

• Time: 1 hour.
• Number of servings: 6 servings.
• Calorie content of the dish: 220 kcal/100 g.
• Purpose: lunch, dinner.
• Cuisine: Far Eastern Lebanese.
• Difficulty: medium.

Tahini dressing will give the fish a spicy, unusual taste. The dish will turn out very tender, satisfying and healthy. The combination of these ingredients will saturate the body with valuable microelements and vitamins. You can use any fish: from expensive salmon to cheaper hake. Chefs recommend cooking samak bil tahini or fish with sesame paste sauce in the oven. For garnish, use mashed potatoes or pita bread. Can be served as a separate dish.

Ingredients:

• fish fillet – 500 g;
• tahini – 0.5 tbsp.;
• onion – 1 pc.;
• bell pepper – 1 pc.;
• carrots – 1 pc.;
• garlic – 2 cloves;
• juice of one lemon;
• parsley - a small bunch;
• salt - to taste;
• ground black pepper - to taste;
• cardamom - to taste;
• oil - for frying.

Cooking method:

1. Season the fish fillet with salt and pepper and place on a greased baking sheet. Place in the oven preheated to 200 degrees for 20 minutes.
2. Chop the onion, carrots and pepper into cubes, fry in a frying pan until golden brown. Combine with chopped herbs.
3. Prepare the sauce. To do this, dilute the paste in a saucepan with water to the consistency of liquid sour cream. Add chopped garlic, lemon juice, cardamom, and a little salt.
4. Remove the fish from the oven. Place a layer of fried vegetables and herbs on top. Pour the sauce over everything.
5. Bake for 20 minutes.
6. Before serving, the dish can be decorated with nuts, herbs, sliced ​​vegetables, and lettuce leaves.

Chocolate and tahini cake

• Time: 1 hour 20 minutes.
• Number of servings: 8 servings.
• Calorie content of the dish: 300 kcal/100 g.
• Purpose: dessert.
• Cuisine: Greek.
• Difficulty: medium.

Cake is a popular delicious pastry in many countries, and the tahini and chocolate cake according to the recipe of Stellos Parllaros is tasty and healthy. Three cake layers are made with butter, chocolate and meringue. The cream is based on sesame paste and yogurt. The latter can be replaced with cream or sour cream. It's a matter of taste. Another option for cream is condensed milk and oriental paste with added sugar.

Ingredients:

• butter – 100 g;
• eggs – 5 pcs.;
• sugar – 1 tbsp;
• flour – 2 tbsp;
• unsweetened yogurt – 2 cups;
• tahini – 300 g;
• dark chocolate – 200 g;
• salt - one pinch.

Cooking method:

1. Break the eggs, separating the yolk from the white.
2. Make a meringue from the protein and 0.5 cups by beating everything with a mixer.

Hide photo

Tahina(or tahini, tahini) is a sesame paste that is very often used to prepare oriental dishes. This completely meatless/vegan dish is super easy to make. Of course, you can buy tahini ready-made in a store or in oriental shops at the market, but it is better to prepare it yourself - so that sesame retains as many useful vitamins and microelements as possible, because it is one of the leaders in calcium content. You can read more here -. Moreover, it is so easy and fast!

Ingredients

• white sesame seed raw- 1 glass
• vegetable oil (sesame or olive without flavour)- about 1/2 cup

Step-by-step instructions for preparing tahina with photos

The cooking technology is very simple.

Your tahina is ready.

Where can you use tahina?

It makes a great appetizer on its own - just chop up the veggies and dip it in like a sauce. It can also be used in dressings for excellent vegetarian salads; instead of oil, it can be added to porridge. Tahina is also an indispensable ingredient in such an oriental dish as.