Ingredients:

1/2 cup toasted tahini (Jovya brand is recommended)
3/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons wheat-free tamari (aged soy sauce)
4 medjool dates or 1 tablespoon agave syrup or nectar (not raw)
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt


Instructions:

If you are using dates as a sweetener, remove pits and anything hard on them, slice them 4 times each, and soften them in the hot water for at least 15 minutes.
In a blender, mix the water, agave syrup or dates, garlic, salt.  (NOTE 1).
In a 2 cup (or larger) bowl and mix tahini, sesame oil, cumin and tamari.
Whisk until smooth.
Add the blended sweetener, garlic, tamari and water.
Mix in the lemon juice and whisk until smooth.
Serve now or refridgerate until needed.


Serving Information:

Yields 1.5 cups dressing, about 3 servings.


Notes:

NOTE 1:  The purpose of blending is to ensure the garlic is blended and distributed evenly.  The reason for using hot water is that most of these ingredients will have been refrigerated and the hot water will make mixing with tahini easier in a later step.

NOTE 2:  This is a wonderful dressing for any leafy salad.  It is particularly savory with cabbage.

NOTE 3:  Needs to be refrigerated.  Keeps about 3 weeks.