Do try this at home: A recipe for Tahina Tarator (Tahini Spread)

It has been a rocky week. The whole world is in turmoil. How are you? Here, people are in shock. I have spoken to share traders who are dumb founded. There were few people in the local shopping centre today. My friend in a furniture store tells of people browsing but saying they just cannot buy at the moment.

All change is hard, and this sure is a big change for a lot of people. Resilience is an under-rated attribute these days. We don’t often talk about it. But it is what will carry you through tough times. We build it (or not) since childhood. There is an amazing program on TV at the moment that traces the lives of a number of Australian Children from birth through childhood into adulthood. It is a very intimate, longitudinal scientific study and it is fascinating. Last week they looked at resilience in 3 yr olds.

For those who have recently been through cyclones, hurricanes, earthquakes or droughts, the current economic meltdown is a double whammy (does this colloquialism translate?).  If you are experiencing tough times right now, for whatever reason, my heart goes out to you. Take care of yourself first, so you can take care of others. Stay well. Breathe deeply at least once a day. Focus on those who love you.

For tough times, and for the best of times, here is a wonderfully simple dip, spread, dressing or sauce, quick to make, healthy and delicious to eat while watching the share prices. It is a Lebanese dish, popular also in Syria, Jordan and other parts of the Middle East. Use as a spread on wonderful rye bread, as a dip with pita bread, as a dressing on green salads or a sauce on steamed or baked vegetables. Delish.

Tahina Tarator: Tahina Salad

Source : inspired by Vegetarian Dishes from the Middle East
Cuisine: Lebanese
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 0 mins
Serves: 4 – 6 people, depending how you use it

ingredients
150ml tahini paste
juice of 2 – 3 lemons
approx. 150 ml milk
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tspn salt
0.5 tspn chilli powder
1 tspn ground cumin
1 Tblspn chpped parsley

method
Pour the tahini into a large bowl and add the lemon juice. Stir well – the tahini will thicken up and become grainy. Slowly add the milk, stirring until it becomes beautifully creamy. Thin until you get the desired thickness (for a spread, dip, sauce or dressing).

Season with the garlic, salt, chilli powder and cumin powder. Add half the parsley and stir.

Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Servie sprinkled with the remaining parsley.

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