Tahini — that slick, beige, vaguely nutty liquid gold — often pops up in sandwiches or pitas, in salad dressings or in a marinade, adding the perfect depth of flavor to transform any dish. And it goes without saying that a giant dollop of tahini should top (or be whipped into) every bowl of hummus.

But spooned out on its own, raw tahini can taste rather bitter, so chef Zoë Komarin of Zoë Food Party — a sold-out pita party