The Tehina King

If you are a true Israeli, then by now you must be putting tahini on almost everything!

Here in Israel, we put tahini on our salads, our bread, our pasta and potatoes, our eggs... and even our ice cream!

#Tahini, a thick and delicious paste made of sesame seeds, is one of the most popular condiments in the Middle East, and is one of the main ingredients in Israel's other famous condiment, hummus! The word is derived from the Arabic verb "to grind", as it is made from grinding down sesame seeds into a paste.

Tahini can be made in many ways; with herbs and spices for a savory dish, or sweetened with honey or date syrup for a dessert!

One of our favorite places for the smoothest and tastiest tahini is The Tehina King, or מלך הטחינה in Hebrew, whose store can be found in the Jerusalem shuk!

The exterior of the Tehina King shop in Mahane Yehuda and the sign and reads 'טחינה המלך טחון באבן ריחיים" — The Tehina King shop in the Mahane Yehuda Shuk. / Shifra Gottleib

The Tehina King's tahini is made from pure sesame seeds, brought over straight from Ethiopia! The seeds are mashed through a giant millstone right there in the store(!!) into a creamy and rich paste. You can even buy fresh tahini made right then and there from the mill.

And don't forget to try all of their unique tahini flavors- za'atar, pesto, chocolate, peanut butter, and many, many more!

Next time you find yourself in Machane Yehuda, the Jerusalem shuk, don't forget to head on over to Tehina King and get a spoonful of their famous tahini!