HOMEMADE TAHINI PASTE

Ingredients
1 cup hulled sesame seeds
3 tablespoons or more extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
1.
Heat a clean, dry cast iron or heavy duty skillet over medium high heat
and add the sesame seeds. Stir frequently until they begin to turn golden brown
and then stir constantly. Be careful, sesame seeds burn very easily.
2.
Once they're toasted, let them cool a few minutes then add them to a foo
d processor.
3.
Start by adding 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Process the mixture into a p
aste, scraping down the sides. Add more olive oil until you reach the desired co
nsistency (*see Note)
4.
Makes a little less than cup tahini paste, depending on how much olive o
il you use.
5.
Store the tahini paste in the refrigerator in an airtight jar. Will keep
for several months.
CREAMY HUMMUS WITH HOMEMADE TAHINI PASTE
Ingredients
1 cup dried garbanzo beans/chickpeas, rinsed then soaked overnight
cup Homemade Tahini Paste
cup extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
teaspoon salt
Reserved cooking water from the garbanzo beans
Extra olive oil, a sprinkle of paprika, and chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
1.
Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans. Place in a pot with water and bring
to a boil. Add a teaspoon of baking soda if you're prone to gas. Reduce the heat
to medium, cover, and cook for 1 to 1 hours until the beans are very soft. Drain
and let cool.
2.
Place the garbanzo beans in a food processor until no large chunks remai
n. Add the tahini paste, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and salt and proc
ess until smooth. Add some of the reserved cooking water, a little at a time, as
needed until the desired consistency is reached. Add salt to taste.
3.
Transfer to a serving bowl and make some swirly divets on the top. Drizz
le some olive oil over it, sprinkle with some paprika and chopped fresh parsley
if desired. Serve with toasted pita wedges, vegetables or crackers.
4.
Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
GUACAMOLE
Ingredients
3 Haas avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
Directions
In a large bowl place the scooped avocado pulp and lime juice, toss to coat. Dra
in, and reserve the lime juice, after all of the avocados have been coated. Usin
g a potato masher add the salt, cumin, and cayenne and mash. Then, fold in the o

nions, jalapeno, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserve
d lime juice. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve.
RAVA IDLI
Ingredients (american measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)
ingredients for rava idli
1 cup sooji/rava/semolina/cream of wheat
cup yogurt, fresh or sour
a pinch of baking soda * check notes
2.5 to 3 tbsp water or more - add accordingly & as required to get a medium cons
istency batter, which is neither thick nor thin.
1 green chili, chopped
inch ginger, finely chopped
10-12 cashews, chopped
2 to 3 tsp ghee or oil for roasting the rava
1 tsp oil for frying the cashews
salt as required
tempering:
1-2 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp chana dal
10-12 curry leaves, chopped
a pinch of asafetida
Instructions
heat 2 tsp ghee or oil in a pan. add the rava/sooji and roast in the ghee or oil
till they become aromatic and change color.
keep on stirring often when roasting them. remove the roasted rava in a mixing b
owl and keep aside.
in the same pan, heat 1 tsp oil again and fry the cashews in the ghee.
remove and add the fried cashews to the rava in the mixing bowl.
in the same pan, add 1 tsp oil more and heat it.
splutter mustard seeds. then add chana dal, curry leaves & asafoetida. fry till
the chana dal become golden.
then add this whole mixture to the roasted rava. add curd/yogurt along with chop
ped ginger, green chilies and salt.
add water as required and make a batter which is neither thin nor thick.
keep aside covered for 20-30 mins.
heat water in a steamer, electric cooker or pressure cooker.
just before steaming, add baking soda in the batter and mix well.
pour the rava idli batter in greased idli moulds.
place the idli stand in the electric cooker, steamer or pressure cooker steam th
e rava idlis for 10-12 mins or more till a tooth pick inserted in the idlis come
out clean.
remove the rava idlis from the mould and serve the steaming hot rava idlis hot w
ith idli podi or with your favorite coconut chutney and sambar.