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Hummus

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I first learned how to make authentic hummus in a tiny hole-in-the-wall (literally!) kebab and hummus shop in the Old City of Jerusalem. So, for me, that traditional hummus has always been the standard by which all others are measured. It was good enough to eat with a spoon.

This hummus recipe is based on that taste memory.  It is a world apart from store-bought hummus, which is typically made with soybean oil as opposed to olive oil and citric acid as opposed to lemon juice — not to mention preservatives. And, honestly, there’s no reason to buy hummus at the store; it is incredibly easy to make from scratch with very few ingredients. Just give ’em all a whirl in the food processor and you’re done.

What You’ll Need To Make Hummus

ingredients for hummus

Chickpeas are the main ingredient in hummus. I use canned, which may come as a surprise since many hummus aficionados insist on using dried chickpeas. I assure you, it’s not necessary. I’ve made it both ways and there’s virtually no difference. I have also seen recipes that call for peeling the chickpeas. Supposedly, the skins prevent the hummus from getting super creamy. Again, I tried it; it took forever and I could not tell the difference. Keep it simple!

The other key ingredient in hummus is tahini, a condiment made from toasted ground sesame seeds. Frequently used in Middle East cooking, tahini is also used in baba ghanoush and halva. You can find it in most supermarkets near the other nut butters.

When you open a can of tahini, you will notice that the solids settle in the bottom the can, similar to natural peanut butter. It is very difficult to stir tahini in the can (the solids on the bottom are quite stiff) so I suggest scraping the entire contents of the can into a bowl, then using a whisk or hand-held electric mixer to blend. Place whatever tahini you don’t use back in the can and refrigerate until needed.

whisking tahini in bowl

How To Make Hummus

Begin by draining the chickpeas in a colander (no need to rinse them). You’ll need to save the canning liquid for the recipe and set aside a few whole chickpeas for serving.

Draining the chickpeas

Next, combine the drained chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, spices and 1/3 cup of the canning liquid in the bowl of a food processor.

Hummus ingredients in food processor

Blitz for a few minutes until smooth and creamy, adding more of the reserved liquid to thin the hummus if desired. The hummus should just hold its shape when you drag a spoon through it.

Blended hummus in food processor

Transfer the dip to a bowl and use a spoon to form a shallow well in the center. Drizzle a bit of olive oil in the well, sprinkle with paprika and parsley, and top with the reserved whole chick peas. Serve with pita wedges, pita chips or crudités. Enjoy!

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