SIMPLE TAHINI DRESSING OR DIP

 
 

With the promise of spring comes the promise of outdoor gatherings: picnics, barbecues, platters of roasted roots, sautéed greens and, dare I say it, a salad or two. Turning veggies into the star of the show, making them easy to digest and totally moreish means we need to gather all six tastes into a dish just as with all our meals, not only for satisfaction but to balance the Doshas.

Where chutneys, pickles, gravies and sauces are relied on during the winter, dressings and dips are called for as soon as the sun comes out. This super simple, creamy tahini dressing is so delicious as it is that I don’t bother to add anything fancy to it (though it does make an excellent base for other dressings, dips and sauces too). No garlic, herbs or even a spoonful of mustard goes near this — just a bit of ground ginger or black pepper or maybe some chilli flakes. You can make this with ACV (apple cider vinegar) which I do when I’m relying solely on the pantry, but lemon or lime juice is preferred from an Ayurvedic perspective as a more Sattvic rather than Rajasic ingredient, bringing a good dose of Prana and vitamins with it. If you do make it with vinegar, you can double the recipe as it will last for months since there are no fresh ingredients in the mix — just leave out the water (which will eventually make it spoil) and instead add a glug or two of water to thin as and when you use it. You could also add fresh grated ginger for a zingy tang or just about anything if you like, but I won’t overwhelm you with options because, quite frankly, why mess with a good thing?

INGREDIENTS

Small batch - 4 servings:

5 tbs extra virgin olive oil 

5 tbs water 

4tbs tahini 

2-4 tbs lemon/lime juice (1-2 lemons)

1/2 tsp flaky sea salt 

½ tsp ground ginger or black pepper, or crushed chilli flakes to taste

1 tsp maple 

Big batch: 8 servings

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup water (make it a ½ cup if you want to make a dip)

⅔ cup tahini

⅓ cup lemon juice/lime juice or ACV

2 tsp maple syrup or raw honey

1 tsp flaky sea salt

½ tsp ground ginger or black pepper, or crushed chilli flakes to taste

METHOD

  1. Place all ingredients into a jar, seal with a lid and shake well to emulsify. For the big batch use a tall wide-mouthed jug or jar and an immersion blender, or simply blend in a blender/food processor until smooth. Taste and adjust if necessary.

  2. Transfer to a clean jar if required and store for up to four days in the fridge, or a couple of weeks if you use ACV.

  3. Give it a shake just before using.

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Jasmine Hemsley