Tahini questions

[Poddi]

I went to a local store today to buy organic almond butter but they were out. I noticed their organic tahini was on sale and got tempted and grabbed a jar. I love sesame seeds and thought it had to be yummy. Well, it turned out to be kind of strong tasting and a bit bitter. Nobody other than me would eat it. My question is: is it supposed to be a little bitter? Or is it too old and not good any more?

Is tahini just sesame paste? I had some fresh sesame paste when I was little and absolutely loved it. It's better than peanut butter and not bitter at all. Maybe once it's put in a jar and sit on a shelf for months it just doesn't taste good any more?

If it's supposed to be like that I would like to have some serving suggestions to cover up that taste. Thanks!

[Amoreena]

didja check the date? i guess it's possible for it to go rancid, like anything with oil. could depend on the seeds though i guess.

the only thing i know to do with tahini is make hummus with it, it's one of the main ingredients in hummus. not sure that would disguise the bitterness in this batch though.

i'm sure there must be lots of other tahini recipes and uses though! maybe do a search on the web.

[emmaline]

yes it is just sesame seeds ground up and does go rancid, not sure how long it takes, but any really bitter taste is rancid and inedible

I only ever buy tahini from somewhere I know has high turnover

[brijenn]

I personally find tahini VERY bitter myself but by daughter seems to really like it!

[NYCVeg]

Tahini is naturally bitter. Although some people might like it plain, I would only use it in other dishes (hummus, sauces, etc.).

If tahini has gone bad it will:
1) smell musty (seriously--like an old attic)
2) burn the back of your throat slightly when you eat it

It can go rancid pretty quickly--I've purchased tahini well before its "sell by" date and had it be rancid.

[captain optimism]

One brand of tahini that is always smooth and toasty-tasting is Tohum. It's Turkish. Most tahini tastes too raw to me. Of course when it's rancid it's very nasty.

[nichole]

i think tahini is nasty. sorry. i thought the same thing myself. but i think it just has a strong flavor. i had to really use yummy things to cover up the taste like fruit smoothies with lots of yummy stuff.

[nichole]

i just remembered how i made the tahini yummy. pancakes. i put them in carob chip pancakes and it was delicious. the smoothies were ok but i could still taste it. my last post was too strong. i should say that i don't prefer the taste rather than it is "nasty."

[Poddi]

Maybe tahini is supposed to be bitter. I just want to say fresh sesame paste is sooo yummy and delicate. I'm sure the bitter taste comes from processing and being in a jar for a while.

[Sasha_girl]

Hmmm...I don't know. I just made baba ganouj with some tahini that's been sitting in my fridge for awhile and it was delicious. It was my first foray with tahini, though, so what do I know? :LOL

[mimid]

We use tahini all the time. A favorite is to mix it with lemon juice, garlic, salt and water to a paste and then spread it over fish and cook. You can fry the fish first but I usually just put it in raw. Top it with pine nuts, too.


Also, to make tehina, mix it with lemon juice, garlic, salt and water and then you can add fresh herbs and pepper as you want. Basil is amazingly good and so is the fresh parsley that is showing up now.

I'm sorry I don't have measurements but everything is so variable with your prefrences and the taste of your ingredients.

[Zipporah]

Tahini will be bitter if made with whole (brown) sesame seeds and sweet if made with dehulled (white) sesame seeds. The hulls are bitter and also contain a substance which inhibits calcium absorption, so it is better to buy the dehulled white seeds and grind the tahini yourself if you are unsure of the commercial variety.