According to Inbal Baum, founder and CEO of culinary tour company Delicious Israel, in Israel, “black tahini” can be one of three things. First, and most straightforwardly, “black tahini” could simply be a paste made from black sesame seeds. But, Baum says if you see “black tahini” on a menu in Tel Aviv, you will most likely encounter regular tahini that has been colored “with some sort of blackening agent — usually roasted eggplant skin — which makes it very smoky.” Just to make things really complicated, the phrase “black tahini” is also sometimes used to describe a bitter paste made from ground nigella seeds — called qizha in Arabic — which is used in Palestinian cooking and is a different thing entirely.
Read more about the black tahini trend here.
Note: Don’t throw out the charred eggplant flesh; use it to make Alon Shaya’s baba ganoush recipe.
Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Black Tahini
Inbal Baum of Delicious Israel uses charred eggplant skin to turn regular tahini black and give it a smoky flavor.
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant
- 2–4 cloves garlic
- ¾ cup tahini, divided, plus more for drizzling
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp honey
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large whole cauliflower, with leaves
- 1 cup olive oil
- coarse sea salt
Instructions
- Char the eggplant over an open gas flame until the eggplant softens, turning it using tongs. Remove and let cool slightly. Peel and set aside the charred skin.
- In a food processor or strong blender, process eggplant skin with 2-4 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup of the tahini, drizzle of lemon juice and honey, then add water gradually until creamy. Mix with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 400°F. Fill a large pot that will fit the whole cauliflower with salted water, and bring to a boil.
- Once the water is boiling, add cauliflower (white side down) and boil for 8 minutes or until fork tender.
- Carefully remove from water and transfer to baking sheet. Allow cauliflower to cool and dry.
- Coat blanched cauliflower generously with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake in preheated oven until the cauliflower is golden, about 30-40 minutes.
- Spread black tahini on a platter and place whole roasted cauliflower on top. Drizzle with remaining 1/2 cup tahini and sea salt. Serve immediately.
Notes
Don’t throw out the charred eggplant flesh; use it to make Alon Shaya’s baba ganoush recipe.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Israeli
Hi, sounds really yummy. I want to try this, but don’t have a gas cooker. Any other way to char the eggplant? Thank you!
You could roast the eggplant in the oven for about an hour on 400 degrees F, but you would not get the same charred effect. Unless you broiled it for five minutes at the end.
After roasting eggplant in over, turn on the broiler and watch very carefully. Turn often and you will get the char for this receipt.
I’m confused, I want to make for Shabbat dinner but do I use only the eggplant skin? Not a problem, as I will make baba ganosh with the eggplant if not using in receip.
Yes, just the skin for this recipe.