Middle Eastern Sesame Sauce

Tahini is a condiment popular throughout the Middle East. It’s especially prized in Israel, where the Kashruth (Jewish dietary laws) prohibit mixing meat and dairy products. Thus, the yogurt and cucumber or yogurt and mint sauce served with grilled lamb in Turkey and Lebanon, would not be consumed by observant Jewish barbecue buffs, but tahini has the creamy mouthfeel and even a bit of the chalky taste one associates with yogurt. Tahini is available in most supermarkets.