Very few people use Tahini - a ground
sesame seeds - although it is available practically everywhere. Tahini seeds
are inexpensive, they can survive longer and can be best stored in domestic
refrigerators.
If you are from a Middle Eastern family,
I'm pretty confident that you know what Tahini is. Just a little dash of it
will make any Middle Eastern dish awesome.
Tahini is a bit tricky to use. When it is
mixed with other ingredients, it thickens really fast. If you are cooking
Tahini paste after mixing, you will have a really hard time stirring it.
Water plays a critical role in this salad.
It takes care of all the stirring issues when it comes to Tahini. Add garlic
and cumin in minimum quantities, some onions, tomatoes and a couple of
tablespoons of hot water to the salad dressing and voila! You have an elegant
dish in front of you.
Here are some interesting techniques you
can use. If you like raw onions strong, you can skip soaking them; but this
step, known as "killing" the onions, tames them nicely. Just to be
sure that the taste of the dish remains, add tomatoes unseeded. The flavor and
the juice which they impart are simply amazing.
I noticed that when I add cubes of stale,
grilled or toasted bread, it just turns into something like Panzanella and I
love it that way! You can provide the finishing touches to the dish by dressing
it up. For a more tasty combination, you can add chicken or shrimp.
I am already feeling hungry...
-- Tomato & Onion Salad With Tahini
Dressing --
~ Salt and pepper to taste
~ 4 medium tomatoes, cored and chopped
~ 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or more
to taste
~ 1/3 cup tahini paste
~ 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
~ 1/2 garlic clove, peeled and minced, or
to taste
~ 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
~ 1 medium red or white onion, peeled and
diced
Soak onion in salted cold water while
preparing other ingredients, about 30 minutes. Whisk or blend together garlic,
tahini and cumin, and add lemon juice; the mixture will become very thick.
Thin with hot water, a tablespoon at a
time, just so the mixture can be spooned. It will thin further when tossed with
tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Toss onion, tomatoes and parsley with
dressing. Taste, adjust the seasonings and serve. Yield: 4 servings.
Here's a little tip: Do not hesitate to add
some more ingredients of your choice to this recipe. Test it out and may be
you'll have something interesting.
Adding some chilis or something else can
change completely the taste. It all depends on you.
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