Siniyeh – Meatballs in Tahini with homemade raw tahini

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Meatball mix

1. 1
   Mix the ground meat with the onion, garlic, cumin, paprika, salt and black pepper until evenly combined.
2. 2
   With wet hands, shape patties the size of golf ball.

   💡Wet hands don't stick to the mixture, and the patties come out smooth and even.
3. 3
   Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F).

   Oven

   💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
4. 4
   Grind the sesame seeds in a powerful blender about 3 minutes, until smooth paste forms.

   Blender

   💡At first the sesame looks like dry crumbs: keep grinding, scraping down the sides, and after a few minutes it releases its oil and turns liquid.

   💡In a food processor, grind in short pulses and check between pulses: it's easy to go from coarse to paste. (Sesame for tahini, on the other hand, is ground continuously.)
5. 5
   Taste and adjust the seasoning.
6. 6
   Mix the tahini, lemon juice and garlic and season with salt.
7. 7
   Gradually add cold water while stirring, until the sauce is smooth, pale and pourable.

   💡When you add the first water, the tahini thickens and looks like dough: that's fine. Keep adding water and stirring, and it loosens into a smooth sauce.
8. 8
   Pack the meatballs tightly in a shallow baking dish and pour the sauce over them until it covers them completely.

   Baking pan
9. 9
   Bake 40–45 minutes, until the tahini turns golden at the edges and sets.

   OvenBaking pan

   💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.