Tahini Yogurt Sauce Recipes

TAHINI YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined.
• Taste for seasoning and add in more if you like.

SHAWARMA BURGERS WITH TAHINI-YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Gather your ingredients.
• For the sauce: Peel a clove of garlic with a crack of knife against the heel of your hand. In a small bowl, whisk up yogurt, tahini, the juice of 1 lemon and cumin. Then grate the garlic into the sauce with a zester or paste it with a knife (add a fat pinch of salt). Whisk sauce again.
• For the burgers: Preheat a cast-iron skillet or heavy griddle or frying pan over medium to medium-high heat.
• Place ground lamb or chicken in a mixing bowl. Season the meat with salt and pepper, cumin, coriander, paprika, sumac if using, turmeric, cardamom, crushed red pepper, allspice and nutmeg. Crack 2 cloves garlic and grate them into the bowl or finely chop. Peel the onion and grate about 3 tablespoons of it into the bowl. Finley chop the mint and parsley then add them to the lamb. Combine all the ingredients and mound up. Score meat into 4 equal portions and form 4 patties, thinner at the center for even cooking.
• To prepare the burgers, add EVOO, 1 slow turn of the pan, to skillet (a thin layer to just glaze the surface). Add patties and cook about 7 minutes for lamb, a minute or two longer for chicken, turning occasionally. If cooking lamb, press down with spatula when you turn the patties -- lean ground lamb tends to tighten as it cooks more so than other ground meats.
• When you remove the patties they can be served as such but for a more authentic facsimile of shawarma, we rest the patties and very thinly slice them on a bias. Regardless, while the burgers cook, prepare your toppings of choice.
• Assemble burgers: bun bottoms, sauce, patty or thinly sliced shawarma, lettuce, hot cherry peppers, cucumbers, herb leaves, dressed fennel and onions, bun top. OR split a pita and fill with giardiniera and Israeli pickles.
• Poke with a couple of toothpicks and split burgers down the middle. Serve burgers with chips.

GRILLED CAULIFLOWER SALAD WITH TAHINI YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium-high.
• Combine 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, 2 teaspoons of the sumac and the cumin and turmeric in a large bowl. Add the cauliflower florets and toss with the spice mix until fully coated.
• Place a grill basket or a 12-by-18-inch piece of aluminum foil on the grill, then add the cauliflower in a single layer. Close the lid and grill for 15 minutes. Open the lid and flip the florets with a pair of tongs. Close the lid and grill until the cauliflower is charred in spots and crisp tender, 10 to 15 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, remaining 1 teaspoon sumac, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Set the tahini yogurt sauce aside.
• Transfer the grilled cauliflower to a large serving plate and season with salt. Top with the mint, parsley, green onions, red onions, walnuts and sultanas, then drizzle with the tahini yogurt sauce (see Cook's Note). Serve warm or at room temperature.

LAMB PATTIES WITH FRIED ONIONS AND TAHINI-YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Put lamb in a medium bowl. Add 1 teaspoon salt, some black pepper, the cumin, coriander, oregano, cinnamon, scallions, cilantro, mint and garlic. Mix well with wet hands, kneading the mixture to distribute seasoning. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour so the seasoning penetrates. (Alternatively, season meat and refrigerate overnight.)
• Make the sauce: In a small bowl, put tahini, lemon juice, garlic and cayenne. Stir well to dissolve the tahini. Then stir in yogurt, and mix well. Taste and add salt, to taste.
• Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high. When oil is wavy, add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they are crisp and well browned, edging toward burned, about 10 to 12 minutes. Lower heat if browning too quickly. Add a little more oil, if pan looks dry. Season lightly with salt. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
• Light a charcoal grill for a medium hot bed of coals. (Alternatively, use a medium-hot gas or electric grill, a cast-iron pan or griddle, or a broiler.)
• With wet hands, knead lamb mixture once more, then form into 4 (8-ounce) oval patties (or 6 5-ounce patties), about 1-inch thick. Set aside until the fire is ready. Place the grill about 1 inch from the coals.
• Cook patties about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare, 130 degrees. After flipping, cook until red juices appear on the top of the patties. For medium, 140 degrees, cook longer, about 5 minutes per side. In either case, let them rest on a warm plate for 5 minutes before serving, to keep in juices. They will continue cooking a bit as they rest.
• Top each burger with fried onions. Serve with tahini-yogurt sauce and warm pita, if desired.

CREAMY TAHINI SAUCE, THREE WAYS

Steps:

• Make the Creamy Tahini Sauce:
• Sprinkle garlic with salt on a cutting board, then use the side of a knife to smash into a paste. Transfer to a large bowl. Add tahini and 1 cup warm water. Whisk until smooth. Add parsley, lemon juice, oil, and cayenne and whisk to combine.
• For the Creamy Tahini Dip with Avocado:
• Combine avocado, yogurt, lemon juice, salt, cumin, and 1/2 cup Creamy Tahini Sauce in a large bowl, then mash with a fork until smooth. For a smoother texture, purée in a blender.
• For the Creamy Tahini Dressing with Cucumber and Dill:
• Purée cucumber, buttermilk, sour cream, lemon juice, salt, and 1/2 cup Creamy Tahini Sauce in a blender until smooth. Add dill and pulse a few more times to combine.
• Do Ahead
• Creamy Tahini Sauce can be stored in an airtight container and chilled for up to 7 days.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH TAHINI YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a small bowl, mix the first five ingredients. Rub over cauliflower; arrange in a foil-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray, cut sides up. Roast 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and tender., For sauce, in a small bowl, mix yogurt, lemon juice, tahini, salt, paprika and pepper; serve over cauliflower. Sprinkle with parsley.

SPICY CHICKEN BREASTS WITH TAHINI-YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Mix 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the spices in a small bowl. Put the chicken and spices in a mixing bowl and toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Put the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat.
• Brown the chicken 1½ to 2 minutes on the meaty side, then turn and brown for 3 to 4 minutes on the skin side. Pour out any excess oil. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is just cooked through. Serve with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce.
• Tahini-Yoghurt Sauce:.
• Mix tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, cilantro, garlic, and honey together in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. Serve at room temperature. Refrigerate if not using immediately, but this sauce should not be kept more than 24 hours.

QUICK TAHINI YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Whisk together yogurt, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Thin with water to obtain a smooth sauce.

LEMON TAHINI YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Place garlic cloves in a blender or food processor and process to mince. Add tahini, and process for a further few seconds. Add yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cumin; process until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Transfer to a serving dish.

TAHINI BBQ SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix yogurt, tahini, vinegar, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, water, cayenne pepper, and salt in a bowl until smooth.

SHAWARMA-SPICED CHICKEN PITA WITH TAHINI-YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne, cinnamon, 2 Tbsp. oil, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 165°F, 12-15 minutes; wrap pitas in foil and warm in oven during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
• Meanwhile, mix yogurt, tahini, garlic, lemon zest, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a medium bowl until incorporated. Fold in 2 Tbsp. dill and 2 Tbsp. mint.
• Toss cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, remaining 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. oil, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper in another medium bowl.
• Thinly slice chicken. Place 1 warmed pita on each plate and top evenly with chicken and tomato-cucumber salad. Drizzle each pita with 2 Tbsp. tahini-yogurt sauce; top with dill and mint. Serve remaining tahini-yogurt sauce alongside.
• Do Ahead
• Tahini-yogurt sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.