Tahini (or "tehina" in Hebrew) is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. It is a major ingredient in hummus and other dishes from the Middle East. It can be purchased fresh, in cans, in jars, or dehydrated. Tahini comes in two varieties - 'hulled' and 'unhulled'. Both types are relatively high in vitamins and contain a small amount of protein. Unhulled tahini is quite bitter but has a much higher proportion of vitamins, calcium, and protein because the sesame seeds are ground whole.
As a spread, tahini can replace peanut butter on bread.
Tahini paste is often used in a wide variety of dishes. You can find it in most Arabic restaurants as a side dish or as a garnish. Tahini is considered an exotic dish due to the lack of production of sesame in Western countries.
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