Originally a Sudanese dish, Yogurt and Tahini Dip is now a national dish in Qatar. The slightly nutty and smooth flavor along with the punch of garlic goes great especially with Wafer-Thin Bedouin Pancakes or any type of crusty bread. But it is the good-old standby, Pita Bread that serves best as the scooping spoon for this creamy yogurt dip. In one of the restaurants in Muscat, a colleague and I ordered a number of appetizers for our lunchtime meal, among them Yogurt and Tahini Dip. To show my colleague that despite my life in Canada, many miles from the Arabian Peninsula, I was proficient in eating the dip in true Arab fashion I proudly exhibited my method of ripping a piece of Arabic bread, folding and scooping up the Yogurt and Tahini Dip. As I focused on perfecting what I was doing, little did I notice that Haytham was busy taking an excess amount and spreading it over an entire piece of bread and eating it like a rolled up sandwich. When I looked at him with surprise, he said, “How can anyone satisfy the craving for this dip with a small piece of bread?”
Makes 11/2 cups (375 g)
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
CHILLING TIME: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup (125 g) tahini (sesame paste)
- 1/2 cup (125 g) store-bought or Homemade Plain Yogurt
- 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste
- 2 tablespoons very finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Generous pinch of ground cumin
- A few sprigs of fresh parsley, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place all the ingredients, except the parsley, in a food processor and process for 1 minute, adding a little water if a smoother consistency is desired. Spread evenly on a platter. Garnish with the parsley and chill in the refrigerator.
- Serve as a dip with raw vegetables, Wafer-Thin Bedouin Pancakes (page 120) or other breads or even with crackers.
