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Tahini

Sesame oil is a common ingredient in many Asian dishes. Sesame paste, on the other hand, is little known outside Middle Eastern cookery.

The basics: Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds, an essential ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine. It can be used like peanut butter as a spread, but is also an important flavoring added to dishes such as hummus (chickpea dip) and baba ghanoush (eggplant dip).

Tahini's flavor is light and nutty with a slight sourness. It is off-white with a smooth, creamy texture. Tahini is a favorite in the vegetarian diet as a source of protein.

The Chinese use a type of sesame paste, but it differs slightly in taste and texture to Middle Eastern tahini.

Selecting: Tahini is generally sold bottled or canned. The paste is made in various forms using roasted or raw sesame seeds, hulled or unhulled -- the unhulled variety being slightly bitter. Organic tahini also is available.

Storing: Tahini can be stored without refrigeration in a cool area for several weeks after opening. Refrigerate for longer storage. Tahini is made without emulsifiers so the oil will separate from the paste.

Use: Tahini's nutty but light flavor makes it ideal for use simply as a dipping sauce or added to marinades and dressings. Lemon juice and garlic marry well with tahini and can be combined to flavor fish and seafood or a variety of roasted vegetables.

Of course, tahini is what gives hummus and baba ghanoush their unique flavor.

Tahini can also be sweetened with sugar or honey. It is used in a confection called halvah, made with sesame seeds and honey.

Where to buy: Tahini requires a bit of hunting. Some specialty food shops that carry Middle Eastern ingredients will have tahini in stock, but health food stores are the best bet. Kokua Market, Down to Earth and Huckleberry Farms carry the widest selection, with prices averaging from $4 to $5 for a 15- or 16-ounce container.