Sweet Potato Tahini Dip With Zaatar Food

SWEET POTATO-TAHINI DIP WITH ZA'ATAR

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Pierce the sweet potatoes all over with a fork and wrap each one tightly in foil. Place on a baking sheet and roast until the flesh gives easily when pressed, about 1 hour. Unwrap and set aside to cool completely.
• To make the za'atar, toast the sesame seeds in a small skillet over low heat until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and add the thyme, sumac, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir and set aside.
• Peel the sweet potatoes and place them in a food processor. Add the tahini, water, lemon juice, hot sauce, a few turns of pepper, and 2 teaspoons of the prepared za'atar. Puree until completely smooth. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed.
• Scrape the dip into a small serving bowl, drizzle with the oil, and sprinkle with a teaspoon of the za'atar.
• Do Ahead
• The dip can be made up to a day in advance and stored in airtight containers in the fridge.

ROASTED SWEET POTATO DIP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
• Place the potato on the baking sheet, and using a fork, repeatedly pierce the top of the sweet potato to keep it from exploding in the oven.
• Bake in the preheated oven until sweet potato is fork-tender and cooked through, 45 to 50 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Cut sweet potato in half once cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh, and place in a food processor or blender. Add cilantro, lime juice, tahini, garlic, cumin, salt, and red pepper flakes. Blend until well combined and smooth. Taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.
• Spoon dip into a bowl, garnish with chopped pistachios, and serve.

SWEET POTATOES WITH TAHINI BUTTER

Steps:

• Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a medium pot fitted with a steamer basket or footed colander. Place sweet potatoes in the steamer. Cover, reduce heat to medium and steam until potatoes are completely tender, 35 to 40 minutes. (Use a skewer or paring knife to check for doneness; the potatoes should be soft all the way through.)
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk butter, tahini, lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil and garlic until smooth. It might seem as if the butter and liquids will never fully combine, but they will - just keep stirring! Taste, and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and more lime juice as needed.
• Set a small pan over medium heat. Toast the sesame seeds, swirling the pan continuously, until seeds are golden. They'll give off some oil and start to clump together, so if needed, stir with a wooden spoon to keep them moving so that they toast evenly. They'll turn a nice deep-golden shade just as they dry off a bit, about 4 minutes. Transfer seeds to a small bowl to prevent them from overcooking.
• When the sweet potatoes are tender, use tongs to transfer them to a large plate or platter. When they are just cool enough to handle, split potatoes in half lengthwise, and season with flaky salt. Spread tahini butter generously onto the flesh, and top with sesame seeds. Serve immediately with lime wedges.