Coconut Tahini

By Dr Gabriella F Buttarazzi.

You can find out more about Gabriella’s work at www.theartofintegralbeing.org

Makes
1 large bowl, serving 2-4 to share.

Good For
Using as a nutritious substitute for a sour cream or Greek yoghurt-based dip or sauce in any dish you like. You may also enjoy it as a snack with seeded crackers or crudités or use it as a salad dressing.

This is a versatile recipe. It has the texture and creaminess of a dairy product. Sesame seeds are higher in calcium than dairy if they are raw and natural, making them a nutritious addition to a plant-based diet. Ground sesame seeds, known as tahini, or sometimes tahina, are served as condiment, dip or spread that is used in the cuisines in parts of north Africa, south Caucasus, the Levant and eastern Mediterranean. Tahini is a key ingredient in hummus, babaganoush and halva recipes. I enjoy adding coconut tahini to a spiced rice-based dish. The seeds are usually roasted but ideally, choose a high-quality brand of raw tahini, or if you prefer, make your own.

Ingredients

  • 400ml natural coconut milk
  • 140g natural sesame seed butter (tahini)
  • 1 lemon, juice and zest
  • 1 handful fresh herbs (coriander, parsley and/or mint)
  • 100ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds
  • To taste sea salt
  • To taste black pepper

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Pour the coconut milk and the tahini paste into a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.

Step 2

Roughly chop the fresh herbs and squeeze the juice out of the lemon and stir into the bowl and stir well. You may add any fresh herbs you prefer or a combination of coriander, parsley and/or mint. Set aside some of the fresh herbs to garnish.

Step 3

Add some of the extra-virgin olive oil and stir in. Season according to your taste with sea salt, black pepper, caraway seeds and cumin seeds, adding more as you taste if you wish. You may also wish to add a pinch or two of other spices you enjoy the taste of.

Step 4

Set aside to marinade in the refrigerator—the longer the better as it brings out the flavours of the ingredients and allows the mixture to thicken. The texture should be similar to Greek yoghurt.

Step 5

To serve, drizzle with the remaining extra-virgin olive oil and garnish with the remaining fresh herbs. You may also sprinkle some sesame seeds to garnish if you wish.

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