luria@ucbvax.UUCP (Marc Luria) (03/10/84)
I've tried making it twice by toasting Sesame seeds in the oven at 325: the first time for 8 minutes, the second time for only 4. I then put it into the Cuisinart for about 10 minutes and no balls or paste really formed, and what I did have tasted very bitter. Any suggestions?
ariels@orca.UUCP (Ariel Shattan) (03/13/84)
To toast sesame seeds, put them dry (no oil) in a pan on top of the stove, over a medium low heat. Stir until they become slightly browned. This doesn't take very long. You DEFINITELY don't want to cook the oil out of them, as this is what makes Tahina. I expect sesame seeds are too fine for a Cuisinart. The only way I know to grind them is in a food mill, set on a very fine setting. If you want to buy cheap tahina, go to your local natural food co-op. They usually have it for about what it would take to do it yourself. Ariel Shattan ..!tektronix!orca!ariels
patel@uicsg.UUCP (03/14/84)
#R:ucbvax:-30500:uicsg:4400017:000:1110 uicsg!patel Mar 13 13:50:00 1984 I have had no trouble making Tahini in my Cuisinart. May be you are over roasting your Sesame Seeds. I have never roasted Sesame in oven so I don't know the right method for oven. But I do know how to roast in a pan on stove top. Use a thick pan on LOW hit. Seeds should cover the bottom of the pan with no more than 1/8" depth. CONSTANTLY stir the seeds. At the first sign of browning remove pan from hit. Continue stirring in pan a minute or two. Empty it in a cool plate. Remember, the goal is NOT TO BROWN the seeds. The goal is to roast it until they are about to become brown. In any case, it is better to under-roast than over-roast. Because the seeds are so tiny it doesn't take much heat to over-roast them! Put the cool seeds in the processor. I believe it takes at least a cup of seeds to form the butter. I sometimes add a few roasted sunflower seeds to increase the mass and oil content. If the seeds stick to the sides of the processor before forming butter then scrap the sides. -Janak Patel, Coordinated Science Lab., Univ. of Illinois, Urbana