INGREDIENT SPY
This month’s Donna Hay recipes (see p106) caused a stir with our editors because one of the dishes called for hulled tahini. I have to confess the food team were stumped at first - as far as we can see, tahini isn’t sold as hulled or unhulled in the UK and is just described as ‘tahini’. After a bit of research, we discovered the hulled version is smoother and creamier than unhulled tahini. The sesame seeds are often roasted first, then the outer skins are removed to create a smoother, cleaner-tasting paste with a looser texture - great for drizzling or making sauces. In contrast, the unhulled version is better for spreading as its texture is more like peanut butter. Although the two types can be used interchangeably, if the tahini you’re using is really thick it will need ‘letting down’ (thinning) with a bit of water, lemon juice or yogurt to give it more of a drizzling consistency.
Two to try