Shari's Hummus
I've tried making hummus any number of ways, and this is the preparation I like the best. I almost always have some hummus on hand for lunch or snacks.
Ingredients
- 3 large cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste), more to taste
- 1/4 cup (80ml) freshly-squeezed lemon juice, more to taste
- 1 cup (150g) dried chickpeas, cooked until fairly soft. Reserve about ½ cup of the liquid. (can substitute 2 cups (350g) drained canned chickpeas) SEE NOTE BELOW.
- 1/8- 1/4 teaspoon chile powder or Peruvian”aji panca” or other hot sauce (optional)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- salt and pepper to taste, preferably kosher or sea salt
- 6 tablespoons (or more) of chickpea liquid, as needed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, if needed
Ingredients
- With the food processor going, toss the garlic in, one clove at a time, through the feed tube. Add salt, tahini, lemon juice, chick peas and chili powder or hot sauce, and cumin. Puree until smooth, which might be 30-60 seconds.
- Taste, and add more lemon juice or salt if desired, and either the olive oil or chick pea liquid until it reaches a thick, but spreadable consistency.
Serve with pita chips, raw vegetables (I love sugar snap peas) or whole wheat crackers. OR use it as a sandwich spread with grated carrots, sliced cucumbers, olive tapenade, avocado, or whatever you like!
Notes
USING DRIED v. CANNED CHICK PEAS: You get a better result if you cook your own chickpeas. It takes about 1 cup (150g) of dried chickpeas to make 2 cups (350g) of cooked ones. Soak overnight in enough water to cover plus two inches, and add a teaspoon of salt. Then drain them and add fresh water to cook. Put in a 3 quart saucepan with enough water to cover by a couple of inches. Cook them until soft, around 45 minutes in plenty of water with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt. For very smooth hummus, removing the skins after they are cooked will yield a smoother dip. I rarely bother to do this.
Soom is my favorite brand of tahini, made by a woman-owned company. Buy on Amazon.com. Use any brand you like.
