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Salatet tahina
سلطة طحينة (salatet tahina): Egyptian tahini whipped with lemon, garlic and cumin
No Egyptian table is complete without salatet tahina: in Cairo and Alexandria it is served with fried fish, grilled kofta, ful and falafel, and it is on every mezze plate at Friday lunch. Sesame paste is whipped with lemon juice, garlic, cumin and cold water until it turns pale, fluffy and creamy, with no sugar at all. Suitable as part of a balanced diet, it brings sesame protein and healthy fats with very little carbohydrate: about 150 kcal and 5 g carbohydrate per portion of 3 tablespoons. The usual mistake is panicking when the tahini seizes and goes thick after the lemon goes in; keep adding cold water a spoon at a time and it loosens into a smooth sauce. Chef's tip: use ice-cold water, which makes the tahina whiter and fluffier.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 5 ½ oz tahinistirred well
- 4 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 clove garliccrushed
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup ice-cold waterapproximately
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley (optional)chopped
- 1 tsp olive oil (optional)
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Method
0/3 doneStep 1: Put 5 ½ oz tahini, 4 tbsp lemon juice, 1 clove garlic, ½ tsp ground cumin and ½ tsp salt in a bowl and whisk. It will thicken and look grainy; this is normal.
2 minStep 2: Whisk in the ½ cup ice-cold water a tablespoon at a time until the tahina turns pale, smooth and pourable, like thick cream.
4 minStep 3: Taste and add more lemon or salt if needed. Spoon into a dish, drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil and scatter with 1 tbsp fresh parsley.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 5 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does salatet tahina take?
- About 10 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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