Tahini, also known as tahina or tahini, is increasingly popular. This beige sesame paste with a delicious flavor that until recently was sold only in health food stores and organic food stores is not only one of the ingredients of the famous hummus, but it has many other possible uses.

What is tahini and why is it so healthy?

The tahini It is prepared by grinding raw or toasted sesame seeds. and it comes from the Middle East, where it has been consumed for centuries. Tahini is, therefore, pure sesame, with all its nutrients and benefits.

Is rich in minerals such as calcium, zinc, phosphorus and ironB vitamins essential for the nervous system, fiber, healthy fats and antioxidant phytonutrients. Besides promotes heart healthimproves intestinal transit, has antibacterial properties and protects the liver and kidneys.

Different types of tahini

In the market we find different types of tahini. The biggest difference is between dark tahini and white tahini:

• Dark Tahini: It comes from whole sesame seeds with the skin on and has a more intense flavor.
• White tahini: It comes from peeled seeds, usually has a creamier and more liquid texture and has a mild flavor. When peeled, it contains a slightly lower amount of minerals.

We can also find pasta in variety with salt and without salt. There is, furthermore, the black tahiniprepared with the sesame variety of this color.

How to use tahini in recipes

In cooking, tahini can be used in many preparations. Let’s start with salty cuisine:

• Apart from prepare vegetable spreads and pates like the famous hummus or baba ganoush, it can be used to make a delicious chocolate cream.
• You can also spread directly on bread instead of oil or butter, both alone and with other ingredients, for example honey or maple syrup.
• Due to its creamy texture, tahini has an important place when preparing vegetable sauces and vinaigrettes.
• Furthermore, due to its texture, we can use tahini in vegetable cooking to bind hamburger or meatball doughs.

The tahini vinaigrette It is a very useful sauce, which is delicious to accompany salads, cereals, baked or steamed vegetables, Buddha bowls, vegetable burgers, tofu or other plant-based proteins.

• The basic version It is made by mixing tahini with water, lemon juice and a little salt until you obtain a smooth sauce.
• Other ingredients can be added such as soy sauce, garlic, aromatic herbs, miso, mustard, nutritional yeast, curry, chili…

In the sweet kitchencan also give us a lot of play:

• We can add it to breakfast cereal or porridge along with fruit or jams.
• We can use it to prepare all types of raw bars, nougats or balls.
• We can add it to flan-type desserts, ice cream or creams.
• It is also delicious in traditional pastries, added to cakes, cookies, brownies or muffinsreplaced part of the oil with tahini.