Last week I at long last made homemade hummous, instead of buying it, and while of course it does take more effort to make it yourself than grab it off the shelf, the effort is well worth it— it's downright delicious and so very healthy! Serve it with some roasted pine nuts and arranged on a plate with some cooked chick peas that you've set aside, and it is also a work of art!
Hummous is a staple of the middle eastern diet, and eaten not just as a spread but also as a main dish, with a sliced hard boiled egg, and maybe even some cooked fava beans. Lttle hole in the wall hummous restuarants that serve only hummous, namely hot and as single portions are sort of the American version of the traditional hot dog stand. A few weeks ago, we happened to visit such an establishment in a little town called Yokneam, and the hummous was so delicious, I was inspired to get my act together and put something on the our table that I know is additive free and truly fresh!
Homemade Hummous With Tehina (Double The Recipe, At Least!)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup dried chickpeas (equals 2 cups canned or cooked)
- 1 cup prepared techine
- 1/4 cup lemon juice, or to taste
- 2 cloves garlic, or to taste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin, or to taste
For serving: olive oil, toasted pine nuts, dash of paprika or zaatar (sumac), fresh chopped parsley or cilantro
Preparation:
- Soak chickpeas overnight in cold water mixed with about 2 tsp baking soda.
- Drain and rinse chickpeas and place in pot covered with water. Bring to a boil and simmer partially covered until chickpeas are soft, roughly 1 hour. Set aside 1/4 cup of the cooked chickpeas for garnish.
- In a food processor, process the rest of the ingredients, adding water if necessary to arrive at a thick yet creamy consistency.
Note: I use the food processor to prepare a large amount of techina, I pour out the techina, and then, without having to wash anything, I make the hummous in the same container, adding back in whatever quantity of techina is necessary for the recipe. Does save some time and water!
Note #2: Prepared techina is made by stirring together equal amounts of water and techina, adding lemon juice (or vinegar) and crushed garlic to taste. It should not be too runny. A food processor is a great way to prepare techina, as mixing it by hand can be a little difficult if techina has caked within the container.
To Serve: Transfer hummous to flat plate, and with the back of a spoon make an indentation in the center. Pour olive oil into this indentation, add cooked hummoun beans around the perimeter and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts, and/or the spices mentioned above.
Serve with crackers, pita bread and fresh vegetables. Will keep in the fridge, and would be a great thing to give kids for lunch!
