What is tahini – useful properties and harm of sesame paste, recipes for cooking at home with a photo

The content of the article

• Tahini – what is it
• Benefit and harm
• How to use sesame paste
• Tahini Recipes
• Tahini Fish
• Chocolate and Tahini Cake

A popular addition in oriental cuisine is tahini paste. Sometimes it is called sesame, sesame, tahina or tkhina. It is used to make many sauces, main courses or desserts. She is also good on her own. Tahini gained popularity due to its original taste and useful properties. The composition of the original version of the paste is 100% sesame seed with a small addition of water to give the desired consistency.

Tahini – what is it

The first mention of tahini appeared 4 thousand years ago. This is evidenced by the record of sesame wine, which was offered to the gods. Herodotus spoke of sesame fields located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, whose crop was used to make vegetable oil or pasta. In the 13th century, cookbooks contain a description of the hummus recipe, some Indian, Japanese or Chinese dishes using tahini. Pasta is used in the preparation of Sichuan noodles. Sesame sauce spread in the United States in 1940 when proper nutrition came into fashion..

Tahini is a paste that externally has a light yellow, greenish yellow or light beige hue. Consistency like thick sour cream, tastes like peanut butter. The tahini paste itself is oily and very nutritious, this should be taken into account for those people who are on a diet, counting each calorie. High calorie content is “interrupted” by its useful qualities, one of which is an improvement in digestion. You can buy this product in a supermarket with a wide selection of goods or in a special store selling oriental sweets and other delicacies from the East..

Benefit and harm

The quality of tahini is determined by its composition. The paste contains sesame seeds, crushed to a homogeneous mass. In one tablespoon of the finished mixture without additives contains:

• energy value – 85 kcal;
• protein – 2.6 g;
• fats – 7.2 g;
• carbohydrates – 3.2 g.

Sesame seeds are rich in fatty acids. In the same tablespoon is 60 mg of omega-3 and 3.5 mg of omega-6. They have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the brain, cardiovascular system. Sesame is rich in minerals: calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, iron. Without these substances, malfunctions in the digestive system, nervous and cardiovascular. With a deficiency, the liver, kidneys, brain suffer, anemia appears, and health deteriorates. Another important component of tahini is vitamin B1 (thiamine). It helps the digestive tract and nervous system function properly..

Experts name three main areas of beneficial effects of sesame paste on the human body:

1. Digestive system. Sesame grains in the manufacture of pasta are crushed very finely, which allows the mass to be quickly absorbed by the body, to establish the digestive system. If you regularly consume tahini 2-3 teaspoons a day, you will notice how the stool improves and all related problems go away. Pasta is recommended for gastrointestinal disorders as an assistant for digesting heavier foods..
2. Leather. Teenagers are characterized by acne. Young boys and girls are very sensitive to their appearance at a young age, so skin care is the basis of self-confidence. Zinc, which is rich in tahini paste, helps fight acne. The effect of this mineral on the skin was announced by specialists from the Medical Center in Maryland. To make acne disappear, it is recommended to eat 1 tablespoon of pasta per day.
3. Hair. Beautiful thick hair needs vitamins and minerals. The lack of these substances leads to loss of strands, which is often observed in people with unbalanced nutrition. Beauticians recommend making masks based on sesame oil, but you can use another method. Use several teaspoons of the paste every day to restore your hair’s former volume and shine..

Sesame paste has the same properties as sesame oil. Both of these products have a number of contraindications. Tahini sauce is not recommended for such cases:

1. Phlebeurysm. If you have such a problem, then it is better to refrain from this product, since sesame oil in its composition provokes blood coagulation.
2. Taking aspirin. The simultaneous use of this medicine and sesame in the form of tahini is not recommended.
3. Eating foods with oxalic acid. You should not get involved in pasta when eating abundant cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, spinach, other vegetables, fruits with a high content of oxalic acid.
4. Individual sesame intolerance.

How to use sesame paste

Tahini is a frequent guest on the tables of the countries of the Middle East, Israel, Japan, China, India. Main dishes are prepared from it, added to desserts, sauces and delicious pastries are prepared. To add a spicy taste to the pasta, it is customary to put spices, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt. In the resulting dressing dunk bread, pita, pieces of fish or meat. It turns out very satisfying and tasty..

Tahini Recipes

Sesame paste is a unique supplement. It harmonizes well with meat, fish or vegetables, as well as with sweet ingredients in desserts. According to the classical recipe, the favorite sweet tooth halva is prepared on the basis of sesame paste, and not from sunflower seeds. Here are the main dishes, the classic recipes of which contain tkhina:

• Falafel. This is an oriental dish in the form of deep-fried bean and sesame balls.

• Hummus. Common mashed chickpeas with tahini in the east.

• Tahina Pita. Pastries cooked in Crete and Greece. Looks like pies.
• Halva. In the east, halva is made using sesame paste, nuts and sugar.

You can cook the tkhina on your own at home. This will require sesame seeds and refined oil in an amount of 400 grams and 5 tablespoons. Choose grains carefully, they should not be bitter. First they need to be soaked for four hours in water, then hold the same amount of time in the refrigerator. The next step will be drying and baking. Cover the baking sheet with parchment, spread moist seeds evenly.

Put them in the oven, preheated to 180 degrees. Once the grains have dried, increase the heat to 200 degrees and bake for 20 minutes, during which the seeds need to be mixed. Cool, grind with a blender or coffee grinder to a state of flour, first at low speed, then at high speed. Add vegetable oil during the process. Pasta is ready.

Tahini Fish

• Time: 1 hour.
• Servings Per Container: 6 servings.
• Calorie content: 220 kcal / 100 g.
• Purpose: lunch, dinner.
• Cuisine: Far Eastern Lebanese.
• Difficulty: medium.

Tahini dressing gives the fish a spicy, unusual flavor. The dish will be very tender, hearty and healthy. The combination of these ingredients will saturate the body with valuable trace elements and vitamins. You can use any fish: from expensive salmon to a cheaper hake. Chefs recommend preparing bake tahini samak or fish in the oven with sesame paste sauce. For garnish, use mashed potatoes or pita. Can be served as a standalone dish.

Ingredients:

• fish fillet – 500 g;
• tahini – 0.5 tbsp .;
• onion – 1 pc.;
• bell pepper – 1 pc.;
• carrots – 1 pc.;
• garlic – 2 cloves;
• juice of one lemon;
• parsley – a small bunch;
• salt to taste;
• ground black pepper to taste;
• cardamom – to taste;
• oil – for frying.

Cooking method:

1. Salt the fish fillet, pepper and put on a baking sheet, oiled. Put in the oven, heated to a temperature of 200 degrees, for 20 minutes.
2. Grind onions, carrots and peppers in a cube, fry in a pan until a golden hue is formed. Combine with chopped greens.
3. Make the sauce. To do this, dilute the paste in a saucepan with water until the consistency of liquid sour cream. Add chopped garlic, lemon juice, cardamom, a little salt.
4. Remove the fish from the oven. Lay a layer of fried vegetables with herbs on top. Pour all over the sauce.
5. Bake for 20 minutes.
6. Before serving, the dish can be decorated with nuts, herbs, sliced ​​vegetables, lettuce.

Chocolate and Tahini Cake

• Time: 1 hour 20 minutes.
• Servings Per Container: 8 servings.
• Calorie content: 300 kcal / 100 g.
• Purpose: dessert.
• Cuisine: Greek.
• Difficulty: medium.

Cake is a popular tasty pastry in many countries, and a cake with tahini and chocolate according to the recipe of Stelos Parlyaros is tasty and healthy. Three cakes are made on the basis of butter, chocolate and meringue. The cream is based on sesame paste and yogurt. The latter can be replaced with cream or sour cream. It’s a matter of taste. Another cream option is condensed milk and oriental pasta with sugar.

Ingredients:

• butter – 100 g;
• eggs – 5 pcs.;
• sugar – 1 tbsp .;
• flour – 2 tbsp .;
• unsweetened yogurt – 2 glasses;
• tahini – 300 g;
• black chocolate – 200 g;
• salt – one pinch.

Cooking method:

1. Break the eggs by separating the yolk from the protein.
2. Make meringue from protein and 0.5 cups, whisking everything with a mixer.
3. Melt 100 grams of chocolate in a water bath, add butter and yolks. Salt.
4. Gently mix the meringue into the mixture, and then flour until the consistency of sour cream.
5. Divide the dough into three parts and bake cakes in a round shape.
6. For cream, heat the paste on a water paste with chocolate.
7. Beat yogurt with sugar separately. Mix everything.
8. Lubricate the cakes with cream and put in the refrigerator for freezing for 2 hours. The dessert is ready.
9. You can decorate the cake with fruit slices or nuts..