Tahini, a Middle Eastern staple, works extremely well in Far Eastern recipes, not too surprising considering it’s made from sesame. Here it serves as a base for a flavorful, creamy dressing that goes beautifully with a variety of salads. I like to combine it with a crunchy salad of cabbage, sprouts and radishes.
Ingredients (makes 4-6 servings)
1/2 head medium cabbage, shredded
1 cup fresh button mushrooms, sliced
10 small radishes thinly sliced
2/3 cup bean sprouts
2-3 spring onions (green and white parts) diagonally sliced
For the Creamy Tahini Dressing:
3 tablespoons raw tahini
1-2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1-2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce (optional)
To Serve:
1/3 cup toasted sesame seeds
Mix dressing ingredients well. Taste and adjust seasoning. If the dressing is too thick, add a bit of water and whisk until you reach a consistency similar to that of a mayonnaise.
Toss the salad with the dressing, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve at once or keep refrigerated up to an hour.
Variations: • The following ingredients can be added to the salad: sliced cucumbers, sliced celery stalks, cubed tofu, sliced grilled chicken breast, lightly toasted walnuts.
• The tahini dressing also goes well with a simple green salad, but it should be slightly thinner, so add more water
