Preparation

• Peel the garlic clove and chop it finely. Sprinkle the chopped garlic with a pinch of salt and then use the flat side of your knife to repeatedly scrape the garlic against the cutting board, mashing it into a paste. Transfer the garlic paste to a small bowl and add the tahini. Whisk to blend. Gradually whisk in the lemon juice; at first the tahini will thicken, but as you add more and more lemon juice it will begin to loosen. Once all of the lemon juice is added, whisk in water 1/2 Tbs. at a time until you reach the consistency of a creamy sauce. Stir in the cumin and more salt to taste.

• In a pot fit with a steamer insert, bring an inch or so of water to a boil over high heat. Put the green beans in the steamer, sprinkle with kosher salt, cover tightly, and steam until just tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. The benas should be neither crisp nor soft but exactly in between (bite into a bean to check).

• Drizzle the sauce over steamed green beans and sprinkle with the sesame seeds, if using.