Tahini is in half the dishes on a Lebanese table: hummus, moutabal, tarator, halawa. Yal shows how to make it at home from sesame seeds.
Doing it yourself means you choose how dark to roast the seeds and how smooth to grind them, and you know it is fresh. Sesame is cheap and easy to find here, and has been grown in this region for thousands of years1. A jar takes a pan, a food processor and a few minutes.
The Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups unhulled sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp Flour
- 2 to 4 Tbsp olive oil, as needed
Instructions
- Toast the sesame seeds in a pan and stir
- Add the flour to them and stir
- Let them cool down to room temperature
- Process in a food processor and add the oil slowly
Note
Not every tahini recipe uses flour, but some do, and so do we: a spoonful helps the tahini hold together and gives it a better taste.
Nutritional Information
Per Batch (320g)
Calories: ~1,975 kcal
Protein: ~58 g
Fat: ~176 g
Carbohydrates: ~59 g
Fiber: ~33 g
Calcium: ~2,800 mg
Iron: ~42 mg
Vitamin E: ~7 mg
Magnesium: ~1,050 mg
Per Serving (2 Tbsp | ~30 g)
Calories: ~185 kcal
Protein: ~5.4 g
Fat: ~16.5 g
Carbohydrates: ~5.5 g
Fiber: ~3.1 g
Calcium: ~260 mg
Iron: ~3.9 mg
Vitamin E: ~0.7 mg
Magnesium: ~98 mg
Sources (1)
- Bedigian, D., and Harlan, J.R. (1986). “Evidence for cultivation of sesame in the ancient world.” Economic Botany 40(2), 137-154.
