Homemade Tahini?

[funnyduck]

I've been looking for organic tahini, but it seems hard to find out in the sticks where I live (I'm about an hour from Ottawa). Anyone ever made it?

If it's just sesame paste made from sesame seeds, surely I could make it in a food processor right?

I can get organic sesame seeds by the pound, and maybe I need sesame oil too? If anyone has tried making their own, please pass on any pointers.

We've been making loads of humus and babaganoush (sp?) with goodies from our garden, but to make our own tahini would be the icing on the cake!

thanks!
Samantha
www.funnyduckfarms.com

[funnyduck]

Ok! I'm picking up my whole sesame seeds this week!

I'll try toasting, then soaking before processing, and I think if I need some oil, I will use sesame seed oil because any tahini I've bought has been %100 sesame. I'm not a fan of soy or canola oil!

I'll post how it turns out!

[FoodFuser]

It's fun, but as the external link points out, it won't be as smooth. It's traditionally a stone ground product, and the wild blades of the food processor can't match that.

I've found that if I soak the seeds in water overnight (after toasting), then remove excess water, they take the blade better and give a smoother product. Just like mustard seeds, those rascals can really dance.

Roasted sesame oil, yes. That's the flavor you're going for.

Think ahead and store in a glass jar (II use a straight walled wide mouth pint Mason), so that when you need to stir it back together, you can put the glass jar in the microwave to warm it a bit, which really helps ease the stirring. Stir with the flat back of a sturdy tableware knife against the glass wall.

I like to make almond butter and walnut butter and pecan butter all at the same time, because cleanup is a real chore. For those nut butters I put a few tablespoon in the corner teat of a baggie sandwich bag, bag the group in a master ziploc, and freeze. Restore in a bowl of hot water if you didn't thaw the night before. Bite the teat corner and squeeze.

[bushwickgirl]

"Roasted sesame oil, yes."

Wouldn't that turn tahini into more of an Asian style sesame paste? I think of tahini as being made with a neutral oil.

Thanks for the info about soaking, I had read that somewhere but forgot all about it until I saw your mention.

[mobius981]

http://middleeasterncuisine.suite101....
Sounds like fun, and so easy. now what kind of oil? Canola would be a healthy choice...post how it turns out!!

[bushwickgirl]

Your link recipe uses vegetable oil, which is soybean.

[mobius981]

And BTW, bushwick, I have been reading your posts, and am so impressed. I bow to your expertise!!

[goodhealthgourmet]

as bushwick girl pointed out, "vegetable oil" typically means soybean. i'm not a fan of soybean or canola - i'd use a mild olive oil, grapeseed oil, or even sesame oil.

[mobius981]

good suggestions for oils, indeed!

[bushwickgirl]

Thank you, I appreciate the compliment.

As ghg recommended, I also would consider using a mild flavored olive oil.

[hannaone]

http://www.ochef.com/235.htm

[goodhealthgourmet]

just a note that some tahini is actually made with whole sesame seeds, not the hulled kernels. if the nutrition facts label on a jar or can of tahini lists more than 1 or 2 grams of fiber per serving, some whole seeds were used.