Tahini

"Tahina" redirects here. For other uses, see Tahina (disambiguation).

Tahini (/təˈhiːni, tɑː-/) (Arabic: طحينة, lit. 'the meaning is derived from ground', or in Iraq: (rashi-راشي)) is a Middle Eastern condiment (a seed butter) made from ground sesame seeds.^[3] The most common variety comes from hulled seeds, but unhulled ones can also be used;^[4] the latter variety is slightly bitter, but more nutritious.^[4] The seeds are more commonly roasted than raw. Tahini can be served by itself (as a dip), made into a salad dressing, or used as a major ingredient in hummus, baba ghanoush, and halva.

Tahini

Tahini next to lemon and whole garlic
Alternative names	Tahinia, tahin, tahina, tahine, etc.[1][2]
Type	Spread or dip, ingredient or filling in other dishes
Region or state	West Asia, Eastern Mediterranean, South Caucasus, parts of North Africa
Main ingredients	Sesame seeds
Cookbook: Tahini   Media: Tahini

Tahini is used in the cuisines of the Levant and Eastern Mediterranean, the South Caucasus, the Balkans, South Asia, Central Asia, and amongst Ashkenazi Jews as well as parts of Russia and North Africa. Sesame paste, used in some East Asian cuisines, may differ only slightly from tahini.

Etymology

Tahini is of Semitic origin and comes from a colloquial Levantine Arabic pronunciation of ṭaḥīna (طحينة),^[5][6] or more accurately ṭaḥīniyya (طحينية), whence also English tahina and Hebrew ṭḥina טחינה. It is derived from the root ط ح ن Ṭ-Ḥ-N, which as a verb طحن ṭaḥana means "to grind",^[7][8] and also produces the word طحين ṭaḥīn, "flour" in some dialects. The word tahini had appeared in English by the late 1930s.^[9][10]

History

The oldest mention of sesame is in a cuneiform document written 4,000 years ago that describes the custom of serving the gods sesame wine. The historian Herodotus writes about the cultivation of sesame 3,500 years ago in the region of the Tigris and Euphrates in Mesopotamia. It was mainly used as a source of oil.^[11]

Tahini is mentioned as an ingredient of hummus kasa, a recipe transcribed in an anonymous 13th-century Arabic cookbook, Kitab Wasf al-Atima al-Mutada.^[12]

In his 14th-century work Kaftor va-Perach (Hebrew: כפתור ופרח), Ishtori Haparchi wrote that the inhabitants of the Land of Israel in his time consumed Tahini, made by grinding sesame seeds and mixing them with date honey.^[13]

Sesame paste is an ingredient in some Chinese and Japanese dishes; Sichuan cuisine uses it in some recipes for dandan noodles. Sesame paste is also used in Indian cuisine.^[14]

In North America, sesame tahini, along with other raw nut butters, was available by 1940 in health food stores.^[9]

Preparation and storage

Hummus and ful topped with tahini

Tahini is made from sesame seeds that are soaked in water and then crushed to separate the bran from the kernels. The crushed seeds are soaked in salt water, causing the bran to sink. The floating kernels are skimmed off the surface, toasted, and ground to produce an oily paste.^[15] It can also be prepared with untoasted seeds and called "raw tahini".^{[16][self-published source?]}

Because of tahini's high oil content, some manufacturers recommend refrigeration to prevent spoilage. Others do not recommend refrigeration, as it makes the product more viscous and more difficult to serve.^[16]

The color of the produced tahini is affected by the kind of sesame used, untoasted sesame produces a bright colored tahini, toasted or unshelled sesame produces tahini with a darker color, black sesame produces a tahini with a deep black color (dubbed "black tahini").^[17][18]

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	2,477 kJ (592 kcal)
Carbohydrates	21.50 g
Sugars	0.49 g
Dietary fiber	4.7 g
Fat	53.01 g
Saturated	7.423 g
Monounsaturated	20.016 g
Polyunsaturated	23.232 g
Protein	17.40 g
Vitamins and minerals Vitamins Quantity %DV† Vitamin A 67 IU Thiamine (B1) 133% 1.590 mg Riboflavin (B2) 9% 0.120 mg Niacin (B3) 35% 5.640 mg Vitamin B6 9% 0.150 mg Folate (B9) 25% 98 μg Vitamin C 5% 4.2 mg Minerals Quantity %DV† Calcium 11% 141 mg Iron 25% 4.42 mg Magnesium 23% 95 mg Phosphorus 63% 790 mg Potassium 15% 459 mg Sodium 2% 35 mg Zinc 42% 4.62 mg
Other constituents	Quantity
Water	3.00 g
Link to USDA Database entry
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults,[19] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies[20]

Nutrition

Tahini is 53% fat, 22% carbohydrates, 17% protein, and 3% water (table). In a reference amount of 100 g (3.5 oz), it supplies 592 calories, and is a rich source of thiamine (133% of the Daily Value, DV), several dietary minerals (25-63% DV), niacin, and folate (25-35% DV, table). Tahini is a moderate source (10-19% DV) of calcium and potassium (table).

Culinary uses

Tahini-based sauces are common in Middle Eastern restaurants as a side dish or as a garnish, usually including lemon juice, salt, and garlic, and thinned with water. Hummus is made of cooked, mashed chickpeas typically blended with tahini, lemon juice and salt. Tahini sauce is also a popular topping for meat and vegetables in Middle Eastern cuisine. A sweet spread, ḥalawa ṭaḥīniyya (حلاوة طحينية "sweet tahini"), is a type of halva sweet. It sometimes has mashed or sliced pistachio pieces sprinkled inside or on top.

In many parts of the Middle East, it is spread on bread and eaten as a quick snack or breakfast. Alternatively, bread can be dipped into tahini sweetened by a syrup such as grape syrup, carob syrup, or date syrup; the sweetener may vary by region.^[21]

For sweets

Tahini is also used in sweet dishes like cakes, cookies, halva, and ice cream.^{[4][22][23][24][25]}

By region

Armenia

In Armenia, tahini can be used as a sauce to put on lahmajoun.

China

In Chinese cuisine, sesame paste (Chinese: 芝麻醬 zhīmájiàng) is used as a condiment in many dishes. Chinese sesame paste differs from the Middle Eastern tahini in that the sesame is roasted; the paste is much darker, and has far less astringency. Often, white sesame paste is used in salty dishes, while black sesame paste is used in desserts (not to be confused with black sesame soup, which is made in a different manner from sesame paste). Sesame paste is a primary condiment in the hot dry noodles of Hubei cuisine and ma jiang mian (sesame paste noodles) of Northeastern Chinese cuisine and Taiwanese cuisine. Sesame paste is also used as a bread or mantou spread, and may be paired with or baked into bing (Chinese flatbread). Sesame paste is used as a seasoning, condiment and dip in cold dishes (such as liangfen) and hot pot.

Cyprus

In Cyprus, tahini, locally pronounced as tashi, is used as a dip for bread and sometimes in pitta souvlaki rather than tzatziki, which is customary in Greece; it is also used to make "tahinopitta" (tahini pie).^[26]

Egypt

In Egypt, tehina (Egyptian Arabic: طحينة), is a fundamental component of the country's cuisine, serving as an ingredient, a condiment, and a dipping sauce. Derived from toasted, hulled sesame seeds ground into a creamy paste, tehina boasts a rich, nutty flavor with a slightly bitter undertone.^[27]

In Egyptian culinary traditions, tehina is often made by blending it with lemon juice, garlic, and water, resulting in a smooth, ivory-colored condiment. This sauce is commonly seasoned with salt and cumin to enhance its flavor.^[28] The consistency can be adjusted by varying the amount of water, making it suitable as a dip, dressing, or accompaniment to various dishes.^[29]

Tehina sauce holds a prominent place in Egyptian cuisine, frequently accompanying dishes such as ta'miya, ful medames and grilled meats like kofta. Its creamy texture and tangy profile complement the robust flavors of most foods, making it a staple on Egyptian dining tables.^[27]

Greece

In Greece, tahini (Greek: ταχίνι) is used as a spread on bread either alone or topped with honey or jam. Jars of tahini ready-mixed with honey or cocoa are available in the breakfast food aisles of Greek supermarkets.

Iran

In Iran, tahini is called ardeh (ارده) in Persian. It is used to make halvardeh (حلوا ارده), a kind of halva made of tahini, sugar, egg whites, and other ingredients. It is also eaten during breakfast, usually with an accompanying sweet substance, such as grape syrup, date syrup, honey, or jam. Ardeh and halvardeh are among the souvenirs of the Iranian cities of Yazd and Ardakan.

Iraq

In Iraq, tahini is known as rashi (راشي), and is mixed with date syrup (rub) to make a sweet dessert usually eaten with bread.

Israel

In Israel, tahini (Hebrew: טחינה ṭḥina) is a staple foodstuff. It is served as a dip with flat bread or pita, a topping for many foods such as falafel, sabich, Jerusalem mixed grill and shawarma, and as an ingredient in various spreads. It is also used as a sauce for meat and fish, and in sweet desserts like halva,^[30] halva ice cream and tahini cookies. It is also served baked in the oven with kufta made of lamb or beef with spices and herbs, or with a whole fish in the coastal areas and the Sea of Galilee.

Levant

In the Levant, tahini (Levantine Arabic: ṭḥine) is a staple food and is used in various spreads and culinary preparations. It is the main ingredient of the Ṭaraṭor (sauce) which is used with falafel and shawarma. It is also used as a sauce for meat and fish. It is an ingredient in a seafood dish called ṣiyadiyeh.

Palestine

In the Gaza Strip, a rust-colored variety known as "red tahina" is served in addition to ordinary tahina. It is achieved by a different and lengthier process of roasting the sesame seeds, and has a more intense taste. Red tahina is used in sumagiyya (lamb with chard and sumac) and salads native to the falaḥeen from the surrounding villages, as well as southern Gaza.^[18][31]

In the West Bank city of Nablus, tahina is mixed with qizḥa paste to make "black tahina", used in baking.^[32]

It is also commonly sweetened with grape syrup and eaten with pita bread.^[21]

Turkey

In Turkey, tahini (Turkish: tahin) is mixed with pekmez to make tahin-pekmez, which is often served as a breakfast item or after meals as a sweet dip for breads.

See also

Food portal

• List of Middle Eastern dishes
• List of dips
• List of sesame seed dishes
• List of spreads