A sesame-lime dressing for the vegetables you have.

A jar of tahini can spend a long time in the kitchen after the recipe you bought it for.

Give it a small, repeatable job. A spoonful mixed with lime and water makes a dressing for vegetables, noodles or a bowl of cooked tofu.

Tahini is sesame paste. You do not need to think of it as a supplement to find it useful.

Recipe draft: makes enough for about 2 bowls. Preparation estimate: 5 minutes. Quantities, yield and flavour balance have not yet been kitchen-tested.

What you need

• 2 tablespoons plain tahini, stirred well in its jar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
• 2–3 tablespoons drinking water, added gradually
• 1 teaspoon reduced-salt soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger, optional
• Fresh chilli, optional

Mix it, then adjust it

1. Put the tahini, lime juice and soy sauce in a small bowl.
2. Stir in the water a little at a time. If the mixture initially thickens, continue stirring and adding small amounts of water until it becomes spoonable.
3. Add the ginger or chilli if using. Taste with a piece of the vegetable you plan to serve, then adjust the lime or water.
4. Spoon over freshly prepared food and serve straight away.

Keep the rest of the meal in view

Try it with cucumber and carrots alongside cooked tempeh, or over roasted cauliflower with chickpeas. A dressing adds flavour; it does not tell you whether the whole meal is enough for you.

Different jars of tahini vary in thickness and bitterness. Start with the smaller amount of water and change the mixture as you go. If you do not enjoy sesame, choose a different dressing. There is no ingredient you need to force yourself to like.

Allergens: contains sesame and soya; soy sauce may also contain wheat. Tahini is unsuitable for someone with sesame allergy. Check every product label.

The small takeaway: try the dressing with one ordinary meal before deciding whether the jar deserves a regular place in your fridge.

Nutrition totals have not been calculated.

Reading behind this piece

• NSW Food Authority: sesame allergy

Topic inspiration: Why You Should Be Eating More Tahini + 4 Delicious Ways To Use It, Samantha Elkrief, 12 August 2016. Full archived source read; fresh wording and recipe concepts developed for Everyday.