This is something I'd no idea about until our first trip to the Greek Islands, where Humous (Humus, Houmous ?) was often served as a dip or starter (or part of a massive Meze - never ending small plates of food).

I first thought Humous was only chickpeas, but later on a trip to Cyprus found it had "tahini" in there as well, but had no idea what that was. It took several searches in local(in Cyprus) shops and supermarkets to find it on sale with English ingredients listed - So I then knew it was seasame seed paste.

Didn't think I'd ever find it back here in England and always kept my eye out for it but hadn't spot it anywhere (last trip to Cyprus I might have accidently brought a jar back..oops).

Anyway by sheer luck I happened into a high street chain of health food shops (no names but they sound like an estate agent to me)...and they sell Tahini paste in jars (and its from Greece no less)....

So on to my favourite food site I go (here) and look for a Humous recipe, sure enough there is one.. I seem to think this site is going to end up as the most global recipe book ever!

Now does anyone have any ideas what else I can use tahini paste for?.. I did have it spread on wholemeal toast for breakfast the other day but thats going to get boring... so Humous or on toast...anything else?

Steve

Roll it in a chapatti/nan bread

Oops! That escaped before I had finished typing!

I used to make it with sesame seeds, roasted and ground. Wasn't too bad, as I remember. Roll it in a chapatti or spread it on hot nan bread, with a trickle of olive oil.

Sesame seed sweet Burfi is one of my favourite sweet. So, I am wondering if you could mix it with sugar and make a sweet sandwich or chapatti roll!!

Mamta

making something sweet out of it, that never occured to me.. maybe a biscuit ?

In Israel you can get HALVA, which is sweet and made out of sesame and is very moorish.

Liza and Steven, try this one, it is Indian and lovely. I make it some times, on special occasions Sesame Seed Burfi with condensed milk.

Sesame sweet Burfi with Khoa/Mawa.

My sister in Delhi makes sesame Halwa, let me ask her how she makes it.

Mamta

this looks great, will have to give them a go soon..

the burfi sounds amazing but oh... the calories!!!

you can make variations of dips,with the tahini paste in it.(goes well with pitta breads,crackers etc.)one that i like is roasted eggplant(brinjal) dip

roast brinjal with some onions,garlic,bell peppers,olive oil,salt,pepper,red chili(if u like) in a considerably hot oven for 30-40 min.cool a little.

blend together with tahini paste,coriander leaves to a chunky mixture(not like baby food)

check for seasonings & adjust to your taste

tahini is great in a falafel sandwich - fill a toasted pitta bread with falafel, lettuce (or other salad), tahini + some lemon juice.

t

Hi there, I make a salad dressing with Tahini. Its just a glove garlic (crushed), 3tbsp lemon juice, 3tbsp tahini, 2tbsp water, 2tbsp virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. You mix the garlic, lemon and tahini then thin with the water and oil and season to taste. I use this over green salads and rice salads. I add fresh herbs sometimes if I have them too.

Sarah that list of ingredients is just about identical to how Tahini was served as part of a Meze in Cyprus. They would leave it quite thick so you could dip into it (like you would with humous) though. Its a lovely flavour, never thought of using it so thin as to be a dressing (maybe with some extra toasted sesame seeds in for good measure).

thanks Steve

I've also found out that the Tahini paste I've got locally is from toasted seeds thats why its darker than the much whiter version they had in Cyprus (which was lighter in taste and thinner as well).

Steve

Thom, would I be right in thinking falafel is very similar to humous ?

Steve

Steve, felafel is usually a fried chick pea ball, which is made out of a mixture of chickpeas and spices blended in a food processor then made into balls and deep fried. I think that apart from the deep frying process these can be quite a healthy snack when eaten with plenty of salady items and stuffed into a hot pitta with humous and thin tahina sauce and maybe a little ketchup. My mouth is watering.

If you would like a recipe for this, which I've honed to perfection with many attempts, I would be happy to share it.

Liza

I would love to have your recipe Liza. I make them like this; Felafel.

Mamta is that how you make them here or how they are traditionally made?.. the slice of bread bit seems a bit out of place for a Middle Eastern recipe thats all.

Steve

hi Steve, I would guess the bread is there to stop them falling apart in the pan? I add a small amount of wholemeal flour and olive oil for the same reason. Apparently you can use cooked broad beans instead of chickpeas which sounds gorgeous - I'll give it a go when they are in season.

-t