Hummus bi Tahini (Chickpeas with Tahini)
Hummus is a pureed garbanzo bean, or chickpea, dip with Middle Eastern origins. In fact, hummus is the Arabic word for chickpea and is one of the oldest foods dating back to ancient Egypt. Serve with toasted pita bread and an assortment of fresh vegetables. Be sure to use crunchy veggies, though! Carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, snap peas, peppers, jicama, radishes, and cucumbers all make a fantastic option.
A tip I would like to try: Although Sheela Prakash on https://www.thekitchn.com/ says the best hummus is made by cooking the beans yourself, she gives a tip to make hummus from canned chickpeas better. She says she “discovered this ingenious trick in 30-Minute Vegetarian, a cookbook written by Swedish chef and food blogger Ylva Bergqvist.”
“Here’s how to do it: Empty the entire can of chickpeas (liquid and all) into a microwave-safe bowl. Add the peeled clove or two of garlic you plan to use in your recipe. Microwave this mixture uncovered on HIGH for 4 minutes. While Ylva then dumps everything, liquid and all, into the food processor, I had more success adding just the beans and garlic first, and reserving the hot liquid to add a bit at a time. This kept the hummus from becoming too liquidy. Blend the warm beans and garlic with your remaining hummus ingredients — typically tahini, lemon juice, and salt — then add the hot liquid a tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.”
1 15 oz. can (1 1/2 c.) garbanzo beans, drained (reserve the liquid for pureeing and some beans for garnish)
1/4 - 1/3 c. tahini (recipe for Homemade Tahini)
1/4 - 1/3 c. lemon juice
1/8 c. olive oil
2 cloves garlic (or more)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin (or more)
Traditional garnish (optional):
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
reserved chickpeas (these could be fried or roasted - recipe for Roasted Chickpeas, recipe for Fried Chickpeas )
Other garnishes:
- olive oil, 1 - 2 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts, fresh thyme or other herb
- a drizzle of good olive oil and a sprinkling of sesame seeds or just some flaky sea salt
- top with za’atar (a popular middle eastern blend of thyme/oregano, sesame seeds and dried sumac) and drizzle with more oil.
Place the hummus ingredients in a blender or food processor . Puree until smooth. You may need to add some of the chickpea liquid to help create a smooth hummus. I like mine smooth and creamy.
To serve as an appetizer, pour the hummus into a serving dish and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle with the paprika and parsley and arrange a decorative pattern of chickpeas on top.
Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. To freeze hummus, cover with a thin layer of olive oil.
Other flavors can be made by swapping out the garlic and cumin for other ingredients:
*Roasted Red Pepper
Chipotle
Roasted Eggplant
Roasted Garlic
Dill
Calamata Olive
Sundried Tomato and Basil
Preserved Lemon - for a more lemony hummus, add 1/4 cup of chopped preserved lemons.
Nutty hummus - blend in some lightly toasted walnuts, almonds, or pine nuts (garnish with olive oil, toasted nuts, fresh herbs)
Where to Use Hummus:
- Pita bread with hummus – toast pita bread in the toaster or oven, serve warm with hummus for spreading
- In place of mayo – use hummus to "butter" your bread, as the mayo in sandwiches and on wraps. You can use hummus anywhere you need a good spread.
- Dip for chopped fresh veggies such as celery and carrot sticks (excellent)
- As a salad dressing – use garlic hummus as a creamy ceaser salad dressing. Just add a couple tbsp to your next chicken salad and bam you have a chicken ceasar salad you can feel great about eating.
- Sliced chicken breasts or healthy chicken nuggets – use hummus as a dip for your sliced baked chicken breast or healthy chicken nuggets. You could even make stuffed chicken breasts with spinach and hummus.
