Tahini is sesame seeds, hulled or unhulled, toasted (or not — “raw” tahini is paler and milder) and ground to a thick, slightly oily paste. The Lebanese and Palestinian standard is hulled, lightly toasted, with a runny consistency you can drizzle from a spoon. Brand matters more than people expect: try a small jar of a few different producers and pick the one that’s bitter-balanced and has good flow.

Beyond hummus, tahini does heavy lifting as a vinaigrette base (whisked with lemon and water until lighter than the jar suggests it will be), as a sauce for roasted cauliflower, in cookies and halva, drizzled over labneh, mixed into chocolate. Don’t refrigerate — the cold separates and re-mixing is a workout. Pantry storage at cool room temperature for up to a year.