Tahini Sauce

This is the one thing your fridge should never be without. Served with many dishes as a dressing or condiment, it’s the ideal snack with a warm pita or cut-up vegetables. Called salat techina (tahini salad) in Hebrew, this recipe comes together in minutes. The ice water is really important here; it helps the tahini fluff up and remain that way, even after a day or two in the fridge. If the tahini thickens a little too much for your liking, just incorporate some water or lemon juice to return it to the texture you love. There are also variations below for making gorgeous colored tahinis and easy toppings that also happen to taste great. Make them all for a rainbow spread of salatim, or choose the one to suit your mood. The golden variety takes on the dusky, earthy notes of the turmeric; the pink tahini is mildly sweet thanks to cooked beets; the green tahini is a riot of herbs you can improvise based on what you’ve got in the house; and the charcoal-gray tahini, speckled with little bits of charred eggplant skin (waste not, want not), is positively addictive—rarely has something so gray tasted so great.

Makes 2 cups

Active Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Basic Tahini Sauce

1 cup pure tahini paste

3 garlic cloves, minced

¾ cup ice water, plus more if necessary

⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

Place the tahini and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. With the processor running, add the water in a slow stream and process until the tahini is light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the lemon juice and the salt and process 30 more seconds. Stop the processor, taste the tahini, and add additional salt and lemon juice to taste. Stored in the fridge, tahini keeps for up to 1 week. When you take it out of the fridge, thin it with water or lemon juice and season with salt to brighten it up.

Charcoal-Gray Tahini

In the bowl of a food processor, add ¼ cup chopped charred eggplant skin (from charred eggplant, this page) to the Basic Tahini Sauce and process until smooth. Chill until ready to use.

TOPPING: Pom and Cilantro (Active/Total Time: 10 minutes)

Spread 1 cup of the tahini on a plate. Toss ½ cup pomegranate seeds with ¼ cup chopped red onion, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro. Spoon the mixture over the tahini.

Green Tahini

In the bowl of a food processor, add ½ cup packed tender fresh green herbs (parsley, cilantro, basil) to the Basic Tahini Sauce and process until smooth; add more if needed to achieve desired color. Chill until ready to use.

TOPPING: Roasted Sweet Potatoes (Active Time: 5 minutes/Total Time: 50 minutes)

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Prick 2 baby sweet potatoes or 1 small sweet potato with a fork, rub with olive oil, and roast until soft and the skins are slightly blackened, 50 to 55 minutes. Spread 1 cup of the tahini on a plate, split the sweet potatoes, and arrange them on top. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with sliced scallions.

Pink Tahini (Active Time: 5 minutes/Total Time: 50 minutes)

In the bowl of a food processor, add ¾ cup chopped cooked beets to the Basic Tahini Sauce and process until smooth; add a bit more if needed to achieve desired color. Chill until ready to use.

TOPPING: Shredded Radish and Nigella Salad (Active/Total Time: 10 minutes)

Toss ½ cup thinly sliced assorted radishes with 1 tablespoon each extra-virgin olive oil and freshly squeezed lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Spread 1 cup of the tahini on a plate, top with the radishes, and sprinkle with nigella seeds. Drizzle with more oil.

Golden Tahini

In the bowl of a food processor, add 2 tablespoons Microplane-grated fresh turmeric or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric to the Basic Tahini Sauce and process until smooth; add more turmeric if desired to deepen the color. Chill until ready to use.

TOPPING: Crispy Smoky Brussels Sprouts (Active/Total Time: 15 minutes)

Trim and quarter 1½ cups (5 ounces) small Brussels sprouts. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook without stirring until the undersides begin to turn golden, 5 minutes. Shake the skillet and add ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon Honey Harissa, and salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cook, moving the sprouts as little as possible, until they crisp up and turn a deep golden brown, 4 to 5 more minutes. Spread 1 cup of the tahini on a plate and top with the cooked Brussels sprouts and more harissa, if desired.