Tehina
Tehina is as common in the middle-east as catsup is in the United States. It's a dip, a garnish, a sauce, or in combination
with hummous, it's a first course.
This is Sarah Choueka's recipe, enjoyed countless times at the Choueka Friday night or Saturday noon table. Each family has its own preference for the consistency and the
amount of salt and other seasonings, but the recipe below should give you a reasonable base.
Ingredients:
- 4 ounces ground sesame paste
- 5 cloves garlic, crushed
- juice from 1-2 lemons
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
- sufficient water to mix to thin consistency
Before measuring the sesame paste, stir the separated oil back into the solids.
Mix all ingredients well, and thin with water. Tehina should be
made just before eating. As mentioned above it is omnipresent in the middle-eastern diet, but I serve it
with salads, breads, bourekas, or lahma bi ajeen.