A specialty of Jehan, in southern Turkey, this is served as a dip with fried mussels or baked fish, or as an accompaniment to salads and boiled vegetables, such as runner beans or cauliflower.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4-6
Ingredients
1 cup walnut halves
2 cloves garlic
Salt
3–4 tablespoons tahina paste
Juice of 2 lemons
4 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Preparation
Step 1
Pound the walnuts and garlic in a mortar with a little salt until the walnuts are almost, but not quite, ground to a paste. Add the tahina and lemon juice gradually, stirring well. Add a little cold water, enough to have a light creamy paste. Then mix in the chopped parsley.
Step 2
You may use a blender or food processor, in which case blend the lemon juice and tahina with a little water first, to a light cream, then add the walnuts and garlic. Be careful not to overblend the walnuts, which might then lose their slightly rough texture.
