We've all heard of the french mother sauces that are the basis of so many recipes. Well, if the middle east had a mother sauce it would definitely be tahini. It can be made thick to use as a dip, typically for warmed pita bread, or thinned out to use as a sauce or dressing. The base is simply ground up sesame seeds and, when you purchase a jar in the international food section of your grocery store, it will be labeled sesame paste. From that base, many delicious creations can come about. The most basic form of tahini is to mix equal parts of the sesame paste and water, then add lemon juice (about a tablespoon per 1/4 cup of sesame paste), salt, pepper, garlic, and perhaps a touch of heat from red pepper flakes. But a popular alternative is to incorporate some greek style yogurt for a boost of protein and a creamy texture. Additionally, tahini lends itself to many flavor additions and combinations such as roasted tomato, cilantro, or even cucumber. All make great sauces over vegetables. If you can puree it, chances are it might be worth incorporating into a tahini sauce. Tahini also makes a great base for other types of dressings such as tahini goddess dressing or as a sauce for vegetables such as broccoli with tahini, my favorite, by far, is cilantro tahini. But if you prefer a sweeter taste, roasted tomato tahini will make you very happy. Just warm up some pita bread and enjoy
