Tarator (sauce) facts for kids
Tarator is a yummy sauce from the Middle East. It's usually made with nuts or tahini (which is a paste made from sesame seeds). It also has lemon juice and garlic to give it a fresh, tangy taste.
It's important not to confuse this Tarator with another dish called tarator from the Balkan region (like countries in Southeast Europe). That one is a cold soup made with yogurt and cucumber, a bit like tzatziki.
What is Tarator?
Tarator is a popular sauce that adds a lot of flavor to many dishes. It's known for its creamy texture and tangy, garlicky taste. The main ingredients can change depending on where you are in the world.
Tarator Around the World
Tarator is made differently in various countries, especially in the Middle East and Turkey. Each version has its own special ingredients and is served with different foods.
Tarator in the Levant
In the Levant (a region in the Middle East that includes countries like Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine), tarator is a sauce made mostly from tahini. Tahini is a smooth paste made from ground sesame seeds.
To make Levantine tarator, people mix tahini with lemon juice, ground garlic, salt, and water. It becomes a creamy, light-colored sauce. This type of tarator is often served with popular dishes like falafels (fried chickpea balls) or beef shawarma (thinly sliced meat cooked on a rotating spit).
Tarator in Turkey
In Turkish cuisine, tarator is a bit different. Instead of tahini, it's made from walnuts and bread. These are mixed with lemon juice (or vinegar), ground garlic, and olive oil.
This Turkish version of tarator has a richer, nutty flavor. It's very popular to serve Turkish tarator with fried calamari (which are fried squid rings). The creamy sauce goes perfectly with the crispy seafood.
See also
In Spanish: Tarator (salsa) para niños
