Tahini

(Chick-Pea Dip with Parsley and Pine Nuts)

Teamed with pita bread triangles and a variety of raw vegetables, this Middle Eastern dip makes a great snack or hors d'oeuvre for a dinner party. Tahini is available at natural foods stores and some supermarkets.

Baba Ghanouj Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

"Your readers would love the food at Stella's," writes Annoria Tohrm of Richmond, Virginia. "This Greek cafe in Richmond serves all the standards — moussaka, taramasalata, and baklava. But I can't get enough of the baba ghanouj, and I want to make it at home." This Middle Eastern eggplant spread is also a delicious dip for raw vegetables.

I got the idea for this recipe from my Lebanese mother-in-law, Leila Matar, who often makes a tahini dressing for green salads. It also turns up in her kafta (meatloaf), on falafel, and, with some parsley and extra lemon, over fried or grilled fish. Active time: 5 min Start to finish: 5 min

Black soybeans are a terrific stand-in for chickpeas in this robust hummus. Because of soybeans' nuttiness and creamy texture, no olive oil and very little tahini (sesame-seed paste) are required to give the dip its traditionally rich flavor. I like to give the hummus some heat by adding a bit of the North African hot pepper paste called harissa.  You'll find harissa  and tahini at most international groceries; tahini is also available at health-food stores. Serve the hummus in a small bowl, garnished with a sprinkling of sweet paprika and a scattering of oil-cured olives. Set a basket of pita triangles on the side. I often double the recipe so I can make a lunch of hummus and thick strips of roasted red pepper stuffed into a pita pocket.

Can be prepared in 45 or less.

Canned butter beans called for here make an exceptionally creamy hummus.

Potatoes are the typical main ingredient in this classic garlicky Greek spread. The use of white beans in their place-plus the addition of tahini along with lots of fresh mint and parsley-transforms the easy appetizer into a whole new treat.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Matcha tints this refreshing noodle dish a delightful green hue—and imparts its characteristic grassy flavor.

This vegetarian bowl is as colorful as it is hearty: brown rice and quinoa, roasted tofu and broccolini, avocado, cabbage slaw, and a turmeric-spiked dressing.

This dinner salad combines decadent burrata cheese with a spicy tahini dressing that clings to every crinkly leaf of Napa cabbage.

These striking, two-toned cookies get a nutty flavor from tahini and a dose of chocolate from cocoa powder.

This spin on Korean kongguksu is a lightning-fast dinner for hot nights.