A case for more tahini in your kitchen

A beloved staple in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines, tahini known for its nuttiness and creamy texture can elevate your cooking. Here's why it should be incorporated more into your cooking.

Falafel pancakes Credit: Adam Liaw

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A paste made from ground sesame seeds, tahini, sometimes referred to as tahina is a treasured staple in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking, boasting versatility and a wealth of health benefits.

Eggplant sabich salad with quick tahini dressing

Eggplant sabich salad is a traditional Israeli dish, made of grilled eggplant, fresh vegetables and soft-boiled eggs. The simple creamy dressing made of tahini, garlic toum and cumin powder is poured on top of the egg, enriching the dish with layers of flavour and texture.

Eggplant sabich salad with quick tahini dressing Credit: Kitti Gould

Falafel pancakes

This chickpea-based savoury pancake is served with tartar sauce made of tahini, adding a delightful twist to the classic condiment, adding rich nuttiness and creamy texture.

Falafel pancakes Credit: Adam Liaw

Charred gai larn and farro with soy tahini

Here's a unique way to incorporate tahini into Asian greens, like this barbecue recipe by Hetty McKinoonMcKinnon using gai larn aka Chinese broccoli. Tahini is mixed with soy sauce and chilli oil.

Charred gai larn and farro with soy tahini Credit: Kitti Gould

Fried eggplant and cauliflower with tahini sauce

Tahini sauce can make a perfect dipping sauce for fresh vegetables but can also work magic for fried vegetables like cauliflower and eggplant. The trick for a smooth sauce is continual whisking and additional water. Finish by stirring in the parsley through the sauce.

Lamb kebabs with bush tomato tahini

The flavour profiles of indigenous food and herbs cross over with other flavours well, like the tahini. Here tahini and Greek yoghurt are mixed with ground wattle seed and ground kudjera or bush tomato, perfect for lamb kababs.

Credit: Adam Liaw

Turmeric tea cake (sfouf)

In this turmeric tea cake by Sharon Salloum, the delightfully moist and vibrant cake is further elevated by using tahini to grease the baking tray, an old traditional method used in Syria, adding the natural nuttiness of tahini to the cake.

Credit: Adam Liaw

Panko eggplant chips & tahini sauce

These panko-crumbed eggplant chips are a wonderful alternative to their potato counterpart, seasoned with paprika and cumin. Try pairing it with aioli sauce alternative, a garlicky zesty sauce made of tahini, lemon and maple syrup.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

Roast pumpkin with whipped tahini

Take roasted pumpkin to a new level, by serving it with whipped tahini, infused with caramelised garlic, scattered with roasted pumpkin seeds, herbs and nuts.

Credit: Jiwon Kim