Hummus is one of my all-time favorite party foods. It’s not only a really tasty dip – it’s also healthy and filling. You can buy a container of pre-packaged hummus, but this recipe is almost as easy and tastes so much better. Trust me, it is worth the effort. So plug in your food processor and you’ll have this delicious, creamy dip ready it no time.
Hummus
2 C. cooked chickpeas, cooking liquid reserved, or 15oz canned chickpeas, liquid reserved
¼ C. tahini (sesame seed paste)
¼ C. toasted sesame oil or extra virgin olive oil (optional)
2 medium cloves of garlic
juice from 1-2 lemons
½ Tbs. cumin or paprika (sweet)
¼ tsp. salt (optional)
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
toasted sesame oil or extra virgin olive oil for drizzling on top (optional)
sweet paprika for sprinkling on top (optional)
chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
whole sesame seeds, toasted until golden brown for garnish (optional)
1. With the lid of the food processor secured and the motor running, put whole garlic cloves through the shoot one at a time to quickly mince. Stop the motor and add chickpeas, tahini, oil, lemon juice and cumin. Puree until you have a smooth puree. If the puree is too thick add reserved liquid, a few tablespoons at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Add salt and pepper to taste and pulse to combine.
2. Chill the hummus until ready to serve. To serve, drizzle hummus with oil and sprinkle with paprika, chopped parsley and/or toasted sesame seeds. Serve at room temperature with carrots, assorted vegetables (zucchini sticks, cucumber slices, grape tomatoes, raw broccoli, blanched green beans), whole wheat pita or crackers.
· While a lot of people love hummus, there are obviously different preferences for the ratio of ingredients used. Since it is your hummus, taste the hummus as you add ingredients and add more tahini, lemon juice or spices as you go to make it how you like it.
· Add the salt only after you have reached desired consistency (anywhere from chunky to smooth, depending on your preference) because cooking and canning liquids can add a salty taste and you don’t want to end up with overly salty hummus.
· If you want to make this dip lower in fat, omit the oil and use extra cooking liquid to reach desired consistency. Top with paprika and parsley.
· I like to make hummus a day or two in advance and keep it in the refrigerator because it gives the flavors time to meld.
· Using dried chickpeas that you cook (rather than canned) makes this dip a lot more nutritious, but obviously takes more time. I think it is worth the extra effort if I have the time, but try it once yourself and see if it is worth it to you.
In fact, canned chickpeas aren’t very nutritious. You should try using dried chickpeas instead (soaked and cooked of course) and also use much more tahini. Try the recipe in my blog, it’s a winner. Good luck.