Tahini means "to grind", the same root as , "flour" in some dialects. There is also a sweet spread made from it called Halawa Taḥīniyya , which roughly translates as sweet Tahini. It is also known to be a type of Halva and sometimes has mashed or sliced pistachio pieces sprinkled inside or on top of it. Usually it is spread on bread and eaten as a quick snack. The word "tahini" appeared in English by the late 1930s. Plain, unprocessed sesame paste with no added ingredients is sometimes known as raw tahini. The oldest mention of sesame is in a
Tahini and ship and store it in refrigerated cases to maximize quality and shelf life. Tahini-based sauces are common in Middle Eastern restaurants as a side dish or as a garnish, usually including lemon juice, salt and garlic, and thinned with water. Hummus is made of cooked, mashed chickpeas typically blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. Tahini sauce is also a popular topping for meat and vegetables in Middle Eastern cuisine. In Armenia, tahini can be used as a sauce to put in a lahmajoun. In Turkey, tahini () is mixed with pekmez to form a dish