Ingredient: Tahini

Tahini is a paste made from toasted ground-up sesame seeds and it is one of the key ingredients in hummus and baba ganoush. It originally came from Persia where it was called ardeh but it is used in many Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines.

Sesame seeds are a great source of dairy-free calcium, and two tablespoons contains 128mg of calcium (about the same as a portion of yogurt). They also contain plenty of copper, manganese, phosphorous and vitamin B6. These beneficial nutrients and minerals are more biologically available when the sesame seeds are broken down into tahini paste.

Tahini is a great alternative to nut butter, and is a handy cupboard essential for households with nut allergies.

Its rich nutty flavour pairs beautifully with lemon and garlic, and it can also be mixed with honey and mustard as a coating for chicken or a dip for sausages.