Chef Dimitra
Aegean Island Kalamarakia Tiganita (Καλαμαράκια Τηγανητά)
Aegean island fried squid is flour, hot oil, lemon, and nerve. Fry it for a minute or two, no longer, and it stays tender under its crisp coat.
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Cypriot Tahinosalata (Ταχινοσαλάτα Κύπρου)
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Cypriot tahinosalata is the fast-day sesame spread, pale and sharp with lemon, made by beating tahini slowly with water until it turns creamy.
Appetizers & Snacks
Greek
Easter
Budget Friendly
Make Ahead
15 min
Active Time
0 min cook•15 min total
Yield6 servings as a meze
Cypriot tahinosalata is sesame tahini made into a fast-day spread, sharp with lemon and garlic, pale as cream, and strong enough to carry a whole piece of warm pita. Cyprus is the dish's surname here. On the island it belongs to the nistisimo table, the fasting table, where sesame gives body when meat, dairy, and sometimes olive oil are set aside.
The whole dish depends on patience with the liquid. Lemon and water must go in slowly, spoon by spoon, while you whisk. At first the tahini tightens and looks rough. Keep going and it opens into a smooth, thick cream. Rush it and you get lumps, and then you will mutter things in the kitchen that are not part of the recipe.
I keep this version plain because that's the point: tahini, lemon, garlic, salt, water. Parsley is welcome, olive oil is for the days that allow it. Λίγα και καλά, a few things, and good ones. A recipe written down is a recipe saved, even when the recipe is only a bowl, a spoon, and the right order.
Tahinosalata is especially associated with Cyprus, where sesame paste is part of both everyday meze and the Orthodox fasting kitchen. Its place in fasting cookery comes from the older Greek and Cypriot use of tahini as a rich seed paste when animal foods are avoided. In Cyprus the spread is usually kept sharper and simpler than many mainland versions, with lemon and garlic doing the work instead of extra garnish.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
plain sesame tahini
Quantity
200g
well stirred
fresh lemon juice
Quantity
75ml
cold water
Quantity
90ml
plus more as needed
garlic clove
Quantity
1 small
grated or crushed to a paste
fine sea salt
Quantity
4g
flat-leaf parsley (optional)
Quantity
1 tablespoon
finely chopped
extra virgin Koroneiki olive oil (optional)
Quantity
1 tablespoon
for finishing
warm pita or village bread
Quantity
as needed
for serving
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| plain sesame tahiniwell stirred | 200g |
| fresh lemon juice | 75ml |
| cold waterplus more as needed | 90ml |
| garlic clovegrated or crushed to a paste | 1 small |
| fine sea salt | 4g |
| flat-leaf parsley (optional)finely chopped | 1 tablespoon |
| extra virgin Koroneiki olive oil (optional)for finishing | 1 tablespoon |
| warm pita or village breadfor serving | as needed |
Equipment Needed
- •medium mixing bowl, about 1.5 liters
- •balloon whisk
- •fine grater or mortar for the garlic
Instructions
- 1
Stir the tahini
Put the tahini in a bowl and stir it well before measuring if the oil has risen to the top. You want one smooth paste, not thick sesame solids at the bottom and oil floating above.
- 2
Add lemon slowly
Whisk in the lemon juice one spoonful at a time. The tahini will seize, turn grainy, and look as if you've ruined it. You haven't. This is the turn that makes tahinosalata itself: go slowly, and the sesame paste will tighten before it loosens into a pale cream.
Don't pour in all the liquid at once. Tahini needs small additions and steady whisking, or the dip stays uneven. - 3
Loosen with water
Whisk in the cold water little by little until the tahinosalata becomes smooth, glossy, and spoonable. It should hold a soft mound, then relax slowly. If your tahini is very thick, add another tablespoon or two of water.
- 4
Season the dip
Stir in the garlic and salt, then taste. It should be nutty first, sharp with lemon second, and only lightly hot from the garlic. Fold in parsley if you want the Cypriot table green and fresh.
- 5
Rest and serve
Let it stand for 10 minutes, then taste once more. Tahinosalata thickens as it rests, so loosen it with a splash of water if needed. Spoon it into a bowl, finish with olive oil only if your fasting day allows it, and serve with warm pita or bread.
Chef Tips
- •Buy plain tahini made only from sesame, with no sugar and no added flavoring. Stir the jar from the bottom before you measure, because the thick paste settles hard.
- •Lemon is not decoration here. Use fresh juice, not bottled, and add it slowly so the tahini turns pale and creamy instead of staying gritty.
- •For a strict fasting table, leave off the olive oil finish. The sesame already carries richness, and a Cypriot kitchen knows how to make a meal from bread, olives, pickles, and a bowl like this.
Advance Preparation
- •Make the tahinosalata up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator.
- •Before serving, let it stand 15 minutes at room temperature and whisk in a spoonful of cold water if it has thickened too much.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 125g)
Calories
390 calories
Total Fat
21 g
Saturated Fat
3 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
18 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
630 mg
Total Carbohydrates
42 g
Dietary Fiber
5 g
Sugars
1 g
Protein
11 g
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