Lemon-Tahini Chili Crisp Sauce

About 1 cup; 8 servings of 2 tablespoons. Yield is approximate before optional thinning or variations.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (120 g) well-stirred tahini
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) cool water, plus 1 to 3 tablespoons as needed
• 2 tablespoons BLACKLAND Original Chili Crisp, divided
• Diamond Crystal kosher salt, to taste, only if needed
• 1/2 teaspoon pure maple syrup, optional

Instructions

1. Stir the tahini thoroughly in its container before measuring, incorporating any settled paste and oil. Whisk the measured tahini and lemon juice in a bowl.
2. Whisk in the 1/4 cup cool water in several additions. The mixture may tighten and look lumpy at first; keep whisking for about 1 minute as the water goes in, until it becomes smooth and pale.
3. Add more water 1 tablespoon at a time, up to 3 tablespoons, until the sauce falls slowly from a spoon and lightly coats a piece of cauliflower. Do not add oil to loosen it.
4. Stir the chili crisp in its jar. Fold 1 tablespoon into the sauce. Taste, adding salt only if needed; for tahini with a slightly bitter edge, stir in the optional 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup.
5. Transfer to a serving dish and finish with the remaining 1 tablespoon chili crisp. Stir the top into individual portions as you serve.

Serving Suggestions

These are serving ideas; accompaniments are prepared separately and are not included in the sauce yield or timing.

• Spoon over roasted cauliflower.
• Serve with prepared falafel.
• Drizzle onto baked sweet potatoes.
• Dress a grain bowl with roasted vegetables.

Optional Variations

• Use the optional 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup for a gentler lemon-sesame finish; it should not make the sauce taste sweet.
• For a thinner bowl drizzle, use the full 3 tablespoons additional water, stopping sooner if your tahini already pours easily. The extra water increases the yield.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Refrigerate covered at 40°F (4°C) or below for up to 3 days. Tahini sauce thickens as it chills; stir in cool water 1 teaspoon at a time before serving until it is spoonable again.

No reheating is needed. Refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). The finishing crisp looks and tastes best when added close to serving.

Contains sesame from tahini. The base contains no dairy, eggs, or honey; check packaged ingredients for a vegan version. Falafel and other serving foods are separate from the sauce.

Original Chili Crisp brings savory depth and a small amount of seasoned oil; the sauce needs no separate added oil.

For another way to use this flavor, try Chili Crisp Roasted Vegetables or Roasted Broccoli Grain Bowls Chili Crisp.