I love tahini! But after some recent reading about the high levels of phytic acid (
read more here) in sesame seeds, I decided I really need to start to soak my sesame seeds along with all the nuts I already soak and dry. And, in turn, start to make my own tahini.
 |
| Soaked sesame and sunflower seeds |
Phytic acid is an anti-nutrient that blocks mineral absorption and is found mostly in grains and nuts. Our ancestors were pros at properly preparing their grains and seeds before consumption and I am happy to say, many of us are now re-learning these secrets.
 |
| Seeds soaking |
Now, there are a lot of opinions on how to soak, how many times to rinse, and how to store your soaked sesame seeds. After reading through a number of sites, I have decided to soak my sesame (and sunflower) seeds in water (you need to use glass bowls or if ceramic, you have to be sure that they are lead and cadmium free dishes) with a bit of pink salt for a total of 8 hours, rinsing them once at the 4 hour mark, and then again at 8 hours. I then laid them out to dry in my dehydrator on parchment paper for around 6-8 hours. They are stored in my freezer ready to be made into tahini or thrown in smoothies and other recipes.
For drying, I use one of my favorite kitchen tools: my square Excalibur dehydrator (with timer). This is now one of my most used kitchen items. I use it for making yogurt, drying nuts, and drying my fruits and vegetables.
