If I had to choose one ingredient/condiment that’s sadly underrated, it would be tahini. This simple paste of soaked, hulled, toasted then finely ground sesame seeds is an integral part of Middle Eastern cuisine — if you’ve eaten hummus (mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice, salt and olive oil) or baba ghanoush (finely chopped roasted eggplant with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and seasonings), you have almost certainly eaten tahini — but it has many more uses. For example, tahini is a natural for sauces, dips and salad dressings.
It acts as an emulsifier, making it a perfect addition to dressings when you want creaminess without the separation. Mixing tahini with lemon juice, minced garlic and maybe a little olive oil makes a great marinade or sauce for chicken or a dip for raw veggies. Lebanese tarator sauce is typically used on falafel and shawarma, but it’s also delicious in grain bowls, on seafood or chicken and on roasted vegetables.
Simply combine 1 cup tahini, 3/4 cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons water, 3 teaspoons minced or crushed garlic (or more to taste) and 1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste) in a bowl and whisk until smooth (you can also use a food processor or blender). If you like, you can add a handful of finely chopped parsley or mint. Tahini can also be used to elevate some American classics in surprising ways.
Its nutty, earthy flavor makes it a welcome ingredient to chocolate chip cookies (you can easily find excellent recipes onlin.
