Tahini: What It Is, How to Use It and Substitutes
What is tahini?
To make tahini, sesame seeds are soaked, hulled, usually lightly toasted and then ground between stones or in mills until the seeds’ own oil turns them into a paste. Nothing else is needed. The name comes from the Arabic word for grinding. Tahini is eaten in the Levant, Israel, Turkey, Greece, Iraq and Egypt. Unhulled sesame gives dark tahini, which is stronger and more bitter and contains more calcium. Hulled sesame gives the light kind, which is what you mostly see in shops. Cooked with sugar or honey, tahini becomes the sweet halva.
Flavour and uses
Good light tahini tastes mildly of toasted sesame, with a slight bitterness at the end. Straight from the jar it is as thick as peanut butter. When you stir in lemon juice and cold water, it first seizes and then turns pale and creamy. That is the classic tahini sauce for falafel and shawarma. In Hummus tahini gives the creaminess, in the aubergine dip Baba Ghanoush it adds depth. In Jordan, spiced minced meat balls are briefly simmered in a tahini sauce, a dish called Kofta Bi Tahini. Tahini also works in dressings, in spreads with honey and in baking. One tablespoon is enough for a portion of sauce.
Buying tahini: what to look for
You can buy tahini in Turkish, Middle Eastern and Asian grocers, in health-food shops and in most supermarkets. Middle Eastern shops are usually cheaper. The ingredients list should name only sesame. Oil separating on top is normal and not a fault. For hummus, buy light tahini, as dark tahini quickly tastes too bitter there. A 250–500 g jar lasts for several weeks.
Storage and shelf life
Unopened, tahini keeps for one to two years. Once opened, store it somewhere cool and dark. The fridge is not necessary and makes the paste firm and hard to stir. Stir the separated oil back in every time you use it. If tahini smells of old paint or tastes scratchy, the fat has gone rancid.
What can you use instead of tahini?
For hummus or sauces, replace 3 tbsp tahini with 3 tbsp unsweetened cashew butter and 1 tsp toasted sesame oil. That comes closest in flavour. Peanut butter works too, but tastes clearly of peanuts. You can also make tahini yourself. Toast 150 g hulled sesame seeds until golden, let them cool and blend them with 2–3 tbsp neutral oil for a few minutes into a paste.
