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This lemon-tahini was my first "vegetarian" recipe, and it’s still a great favorite. Nobody doesn’t like this. Toss with pasta, drizzle on salad, stuff into a pita sandwich with greens and meat or fish or tofu. Garlic is to your taste.
SAUCY TIPS
>> Greek-style yogurts are readily available in Hawaii, but you can make a version from plain, whole-fat yogurt (I usually start with Mountain High, found at Safeway). Drain the yogurt for 12 to 24 hours so that it thickens and sours. Line a colander or strainer with three or four layers of cheesecloth, add the yogurt and let it drip into a bowl. The whey that drains off can be used for baking, thinning the sauces, in soups or stews. It’s highly nutritious and lasts a week or two, refrigerated.
>> These sauces can be thinned with warm water, broth or bouillon, whey (see above) or whatever you wish, but drizzle in the liquid and taste frequently to keep from losing the pungency of the sauce.
>> For Asian preparations, I have come to appreciate Parks Brand Ground Garlic. It doesn’t work as well for Italian sauces (which want the bite of raw garlic). I don’t like the Gilroy stuff; you can taste the preservatives. |
Lemon-Tahini Sauce
3/4 cup tahini (sesame butter)
3/4 cup plain yogurt (preferably full-fat, live culture) or Greek yogurt
1 to 3 cloves garlic, minced (or ground equivalent)
1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice or more (2 lemons, possibly 3)
Splash (or more) of shoyu or temari
Dash salt
Water for thinning to desired consistency
In bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix and taste. Thin to desired consistency. May be thick as mayonnaise or thin as pan drippings. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
The following sauce was originally used in this way: Salmon fillets are marinated with turmeric, salt, pepper and cayenne; whole cumin is popped in hot canola oil, then the salmon added to fry briefly; sauce is slathered over and cooked 2 to 3 minutes, then served.
I’ve used it uncooked, at room temperature, over grilled meat, fish or hot rice. Easy and ono!
Madhur Jaffrey’s Tomato Cream Sauce
"At Home with Madhur Jaffrey" (Borzoi/Knopf, 2010)
2 (6-ounce) cans tomato purée
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped (optional)
Place all ingredients in bowl and mix. Refrigerate. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Try this Asian-style sauce as the blogger at justhungry.com does: Pan-fry a pound of tiny new organic potatoes until almost done, then add this sauce and let it caramelize, taking care not to burn.
Miso-ko chu jang sauce
www.toirokitchen.com
1 tablespoon grated or minced ginger
1 clove garlic, grated or minced
2 tablespoons ko chu jang
2 tablespoons red miso
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced scallion (white part only)
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon hot red chili powder (optional)
In bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
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