My Indispensable Tahini! (Mezap Tahini Sesame Puree)

Member Name: sottovoce1982

Product:	Mezap Tahini Sesame Puree
Date:	18/11/08 (96 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Delicious and very useful for Mediterranean dishes

Disadvantages: None for me

Mezap Tahini Sesame Puree
340g jar



Tahini is 100% pure sesame paste that is made from nothing but sesame seeds. It used for Middle Eastern dishes, and it has thick, creamy texture and very nice aroma. Mezap Tahini Sesame Puree is made in Greece, where tahini is used in several dishes too, so when you buy this one you guarantee that it is not different from the tahini you can buy in the Middle East.

Mezap Tahini Sesame Puree is available from Sainsbury's; the 340g jar is sold for £2.29, which is a good value for money only if you don't make Middle Eastern dishes very frequently; otherwise, it is a little expensive. It comes in a glass jar without any preservative, colors, or any additions; the ingredients are simply: Pulped Roasted Sesame Seeds.

When you open the jar for the first time, and even if you reopen it after its being kept on the shelf for some time, you will notice that the sesame oil is on the top; separated from the pulp. This is a natural thing that happens all the time, and all you have to do is to mix the oil and pulp before you use the tahini.

The smell and taste of this sesame paste are nutty and very strong. It can be eaten on its own with some bread, or with bread and sugar. It can also be used for numerous dishes, but you have to be careful, for although it does not have cholesterol, it is very fattening.

Nutritional info
Nutrition per 100 g
Energy 2718 kJ
Energy 656 kcal
Protein 28.4g
Carbohydrate 12.0g
of which sugars 0.0g
Fat 59.5g
of which saturates 7.5g
mono-unsaturates 24.5g
polyunsaturates 27.5g
cholesterol 0.0mg
Fibre 1.42g
Sodium 40mg
Calcium (RDA 800 mg) 81mg
Iron (RDA 14 mg) 9mg

So what can we make with tahini? You can make a fantastic sauce that can be eaten with fish, meat, or even fried vegetable like cauliflower. To make it mix the following ingredients:
1/3 cup tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup water
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

You can also make houmous:

2 cups canned chickpeas
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup lemon juice
¾ cup tahini
¼ cup parsley, chopped
salt to taste
cumin to taste

One other very yummy recipe I'd like to share with you is called mutabbal (a side dish like houmous):

Roasted eggplants (they should be placed on the grill till the skin is almost burnt)
½ cup tahini
¼ cup yogurt
salt to taste
lemon juice

Summary: An essential paste for Mediterranean cruise.