I always thought I wouldn’t say I liked hummus, but this recipe is 1000 times better than the tasteless version you can buy in the supermarket.
What is Hummus?
Hummus, or houmous, is popular throughout the Western world. Yet, it’s a dip of Middle Eastern origin. It’s made by mashing cooked chickpeas with tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. It’s most often served with vegetables or toasted pitta. However, it can also be used as a wrap sauce or as part of a traditional mezze platter. It’s usually served at room temperature but can also be served hot, depending on the recipe. Some hummus recipes may also call for other spices, such as cumin or paprika, which should be added according to preference.
Hummus means chickpeas in Romanised Arabic. The spelling is inconsistent in written English as the name comes from various cuisines, encompassing multiple languages and dialects of the Arabic language.
Hummus, falafels, fattoush salad, and tabbouleh have become some of the most popular foods exported from the Levant region of the Middle East. The Levant area encompasses Lebanon, Israel, and other countries north of Saudi Arabia. However, it sometimes refers to places such as Egypt, Turkey, and Greece.
What is Tahini?
If you’ve already looked at the recipe or read the above paragraph and wondered what tahini is, read on. Tahni is a Middle Eastern spread or pasta made from ground hulled sesame seeds. It might not sound familiar, but it’s a common ingredient in other Middle Eastern recipes and dips, including Babaganoush.
Tahni adds nutty flavours and a creamy richness to recipes while maintaining its plant-based status. In addition to this hummus recipe, it can be used in salad dressings as a spread or poured over homemade falafels. When preparing tahini, it may need a stir to combine the natural oils as they tend to separate.
Garnish for Hummus
In UK kitchens, there seems to be a standard garnish for hummus. This includes a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a liberal sprinkling of paprika, and chopped parsley. A few reserved cooked chickpeas also help bring the hummus to life visually. Other garnishes include sesame seeds, pine nuts, walnuts, za’atar, & sumac.
Hummus
Ingredients
Method
- In a food processor, blend the chickpeas with the water and garlic. Mix in the lemon and tahini. Season to taste.
- Spoon into a bowl and finish with the reserved chickpeas, olive oil, paprika and parsley. Serve with warm pitta.
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