Stop buying bland hummus — this tiny Lebanese recipe uses simple pantry staples to deliver a ridiculously creamy, tangy dip that disappears at every gathering.
Hummus (chickpeas + tahini) is an Arabic dish that is also popular across the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Hummus is most commonly served as an appetizer and appears on mezze platters alongside dishes such as baba ghanoush and tabbouleh, served with pita bread.
Because the main ingredient of Lebanese hummus is chickpeas, it is a very good option for vegetarians.
The history of hummus traces back to the 13th century AH in Egypt, and during the Crusades foods like hummus were sometimes given as rations to soldiers.
For two people
Chickpeas — 1 cup
Garlic — 2 cloves
Tahini — 1/2 cup
Lemon juice — 1/4 cup
Olive oil — 1/4 cup
Salt and pepper — to taste
Paprika — optional, 1/3 teaspoon
Lebanese hummus method:
First, soak the chickpeas for 12 hours and change the soaking water several times.
Put the soaked chickpeas in a pot or pressure cooker with water and cook them until they are completely tender and soft.
When the chickpeas are cooked, drain them but do not throw away the cooking water; put the chickpeas, tahini and the other ingredients into a food processor along with a few spoons of the reserved chickpea water and blend.
If the hummus is too stiff, add a little olive oil and some of the chickpea cooking water to soften it until you reach the desired consistency.
Transfer the hummus to your serving dish and garnish with whole chickpeas, a drizzle of olive oil, ground pepper and chopped parsley, then serve.
Note 1: Because flavor is subjective, make a small batch first to test; if you like it, increase the quantities for more servings.
Note 2: Hummus is traditionally served with pita bread, but in this instance I had no pita so I served it with fried lavash (thin flatbread) instead.
Temperament before eating:Chickpeas are classified in traditional medicine as warm and dry. Olive oil has a warm and dry temperament. Tahini is warm and moist. Therefore, the overall temperament of this dish is warm.
Nutritional benefits of hummus:Hummus contains appreciable amounts of iron, vitamin C, calcium, folate, vitamin B6 and protein. It is also rich in fiber, which supports healthy digestive function.
