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Hummus


Hummus is a Levantine (eastern Mediterranean) dip that's made from chickpeas. After some not so successful attempts, I had almost given up on making it at home (something was always more or less or wrong). But recently while hogging on some awesome food at the Dubai Food Festival (#eattheworlddxb), I had a chance to attend a show by celebrity chef Suzzane Hussaini. With her hummus recipe and tips, I embarked on the journey to make the perfect Hummus again. And voila!



You can get a hummus recipe anywhere online. But I am posting one here for reference. The Tips at the end of this post are what make all the difference.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chickpeas
1/2 tsp soda
2 tsp store-brought tahini paste (or 1/4 cup sesame seeds, 1/8 cup olive oil)
2 small cloves of garlic
2 tsp lemon juice or as per taste
salt
olive oil.

Recipe for the tahini paste:
1. Light roast the sesame seeds. Do not over roast or make too dark.
2. Put the roasted seeds and olive oil in a blender and blend till it forms a flowing paste.
It may take a few minutes for the seeds to start oozing their oil so keep blending - But DO NOT add any water. The quantity is going to be much more than what you need for the hummus below, so use only 2 teaspoons and store the rest in an air-tight container. It can last 3-4 weeks.

Recipe for the hummus:
1. Soak the chickpeas overnight with 1/2 tsp of soda.
2. Wash with fresh cold water and pressure cook till soft.
3. In a blender, put the cooked chickpeas and 2 cubes of ice and blend to semi-smooth paste.
4. Add chopped garlic, lemon juice, tahini paste and salt.
5. Blend to a smooth paste. It should neither be too thick or chunky nor running consistency. (You may add some water left over from cooking the chickpeas if it feels too thick. )
6. Remove in serving bowl.
7. Drizzle some olive oil and some red chilly powder.
8. Serve with warm pita or Arabic bread.

TIPS:
1. Do not overdo the garlic. As mentioned above just 2 small cloves is enough. You do not want the garlic to overpower the taste.
2. Absolutely no olive oil while blending. I remember making this mistake so my hummus would always feel heavy. Olive oil should only be added in the end while plating.
3. The blended mixture has to be a smooth light paste. A thick chunky texture is a no-no.
4. A good quality olive oil can make all the difference in the final taste.
5. Hummus HAS TO have chickpeas. Chickpeas in Arabic is called al-humms. Some recipes online call for anything from avocados to potatoes. Remember, if it's not chickpeas, IT'S NOT HUMMUS.

[Edit: Thanks to my cousin Radhika for providing a very useful tip - If you have the time, do peel the cooked chickpeas. It helps make the hummus super-smooth. ]

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