Tahini... so many uses, the best is for hummus!

A lot of hummus recipes call for tahini, but I am never really sure where to buy it.  I can't seem to find it in any regular grocery stores,  not to mention that if you do find it in a grocery store I heard it can cost quite a bit for a small portion.  Well here is a simple two ingredient recipe to make your own tahini at home.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Ingredients

- 1 1/3 cup of sesame seeds

- 1/8 to 1/4 cup of vegetable oil

You will also need a food processor or blender

1) Measure out your sesame seeds and spread them out on a baking sheet.  Place them in your preheated oven and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes or until fragrant.  Make sure the you shake the tray frequently and keep watch of the sesame seeds so that they do not brown.

2) Remove the sesame seeds from the oven and allow to cool.  Once they are cool place them in your blender or food processor and add the vegetable oil a little at a time.  (I ended up using 1/4 of vegetable oil for my tahini)

3) After you have processed your sesame seeds, about 5 minutes in the blender or food processor you will have a smooth paste, with a thick pouring consistency.  And your tahini is now done.  Store it in a tightly sealed container until ready to use. (It can last for a month or two if stored properly)

Just some notes: you may think that your sesame seeds aren't processing at first in the food processor and you may be tempted to add even more oil, DO NOT do it, allow the processor to run for about 5 minutes and you will see a nice paste forming.  I ran my processor on high for half the time; starting with it on low as I added the oil. Also, this recipe will make about 1 cup of tahini and that will be enough to make 3-4 batches of hummus.

Come back tomorrow for the how-to and recipe for irresistible hummus.

Enjoy!!