Sesame Paste

Asian sesame paste is made from roasted sesame seeds whereas its Middle Eastern counterpart, tahini, is made from raw sesame seeds, which makes the latter lighter in color and more mild in taste than Asian sesame paste. Because tahini is more widely available in American food markets than Asian sesame paste, we have used tahini in the recipes in this book, and with very good results. Either type, however, can be used in the recipes in this book.