tahini
MediumCulinary, everyday, speciality food
Definition
Meaning
A thick paste made from ground, hulled sesame seeds, used especially in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking.
Any commercially prepared or homemade sesame paste used as a condiment, dip base (e.g., in hummus), or sauce ingredient.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Specifically denotes the paste made from sesame seeds; not interchangeable with other nut or seed butters. Often used as an uncountable noun.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling is consistent. Pronunciation may show slight variation in stress or vowel length. The product is found in similar contexts (supermarkets, restaurants) in both regions.
Connotations
Associated with Middle Eastern, Greek, Turkish, or vegan/health-food cuisine in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more common in everyday UK discourse due to longer-established immigrant communities and kebab culture, but widely recognized in US food contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[verb] + tahini (e.g., add, stir, use, make, contain)tahini + [noun] (e.g., tahini sauce, tahini paste)[adjective] + tahini (e.g., runny tahini, homemade tahini)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Usage
Context Usage
Business
In the context of food import/export, product sourcing, or restaurant supply chains.
Academic
In studies of food history, anthropology, or nutrition related to the Middle East.
Everyday
In cooking, recipe discussions, or while shopping for ingredients.
Technical
In culinary arts, food science (regarding emulsions, fat content), or product labeling.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- A tahini-based sauce is perfect for falafel.
American English
- The tahini dressing recipe calls for lemon and garlic.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I eat hummus. It has tahini in it.
- This sauce is made from tahini.
- You can buy tahini in most large supermarkets.
- To make the dressing, mix tahini with lemon juice and water.
- The recipe's authenticity depends on using good-quality tahini.
- Unlike peanut butter, tahini has a distinctively savoury, slightly bitter note.
- The emulsification of the tahini with water and citric acid is crucial for the correct consistency of the dip.
- Critics praised the dish's balance, noting how the tahini's richness offset the earthy chickpeas.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'TA-HI-NI' sounds like 'Ta, he needs'... as in 'Ta, he needs some tahini for his hummus.' (UK informal 'ta' for thanks).
Conceptual Metaphor
FOOD AS CULTURAL BRIDGE (tahini connects different cuisines)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'тахинная халва' (tahini halva), which is a sweet confection made from it.
- Not 'кунжутное масло' (sesame oil), which is the liquid oil, not the paste.
- The word is a direct borrowing, similar to 'тахини'.
Common Mistakes
- Treating it as a countable noun (e.g., 'two tahinis' – prefer 'two jars/types of tahini').
- Misspelling as 'tahina', 'tahinni', or 'tahin'.
- Confusing it with peanut butter or other nut butters in recipes.
Practice
Quiz
What is tahini primarily made from?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Tahini is a thick paste made from ground sesame seeds. Sesame oil is the liquid oil pressed from the seeds.
Yes, pure tahini is typically both gluten-free and vegan, as it contains only sesame seeds.
Store it in a cool, dark place. Once opened, many brands recommend refrigeration to prevent the natural oils from separating excessively or going rancid.
It has a rich, nutty, and slightly bitter taste from the sesame seeds, with a creamy yet sometimes gritty texture.