Tahini

As I wrote about cooking Kale with Tahini, I thought, "how is tahini Po' Folk Food?" Well, I did a little research and it is Po' Folk food in other countries such as Israel where it is considered a staple food. I had the tahini in the cupboard for I like to make Hummus, which is easy to make and such a good source of protein! Plus adding tahini to brown rice, whole grain pasta, oats, wheat, cornmeal, bulgur, barley, buckwheat, or rye will give you a complete protein, which is essential for vegetarians or those who can't afford to serve meat on a regular basis. You can get a jar at a Greek, Indian, or Asian Market for under $5 and it lasts a good long time.

Below is a Tahini Sauce Matrix for various variations. Just throw all the ingredients in a row in a blender and blend til smooth. One recipe makes about 1 cup. You can drizzle the sauce over salads, steamed vegetables, meats, fish, or in sandwiches. You can also use it as a dip. Drizzle it in a veggie sandwich with whole grain bread or use corn tortilla chips as dippers and you have a complete protein!

Enjoy! Please take time to review. Thanx!

Tahini Sauce

Traditional Sauce	½ C. tahini	½ C. water	Juice of 1 lemon	1 peeled garlic clove	½ tsp cumin	Salt & pepper to taste
Anchovy Sauce	½ C. tahini	½ C. water	Juice of 1 lemon	1 peeled garlic clove	½ tsp cumin	Pepper to taste	1-2 anchovies
Coconut Sauce	½ C. tahini	½ C. coconut milk	Juice of 1 lemon	1 peeled garlic clove	½ tsp cumin	Salt & pepper to taste
Curry Sauce	½ C. tahini	½ C. water	Juice of 1 lemon	1 peeled garlic clove	2 T. curry powder	Salt & pepper to taste
Mint Sauce	½ C. tahini	½ C. water	Juice of 1 lemon	1 peeled garlic clove	½ tsp cumin	Salt & pepper to taste	1 C. fresh mint leaves
Roasted Garlic Sauce	½ C. tahini	½ C. water	Juice of 1 lemon	1 head roasted garlic	½ tsp cumin	Salt & pepper to taste
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce	½ C. tahini	½ C. water	Juice of 1 lemon	1 peeled garlic clove	½ tsp cumin	Salt & pepper to taste	1 roasted red pepper
Yogurt Sauce	½ C. tahini	½ C. yogurt	Juice of 1 lemon	1 peeled garlic clove	½ tsp cumin	Salt & pepper to taste

ROASTED GARLIC: Slice the pointy top off of 1 head of garlic. Place in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until soft.

ROASTED RED PEPPER: Take a red bell pepper and blacken over high flame on a gas stove or broil on high until blackened. Place in a bag for a few minutes, then peel the black off under running water. Make sure to remove the seeds and stem before throwing in the blender.