Recipe: Hummus
Ingredients
1 cup dried chickpeas (soaked the night before)
2 tsp baking soda, divided
3-4 garlic cloves
1/3 cup lemon Juice
¾-1 cup tahini (my favorite is Seed & Mill, followed by Soom)
2-3 tsp salt
Ice water or cubes
Directions
The day before you make the hummus, place the chickpeas, 1 tsp of baking soda into a large vessel that can accommodate 1 quart. The chickpeas absorb a lot of water. Fill the vessel with cold water, cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, drain and rinse the chickpeas and place in a pot with the remaining teaspoon of baking soda. Bring the water to a boil over. high heat, skimming any “scum” that rises to the top. Reduce the heat to medium and cover. Continue cooking for about an hour until the chickpeas are soft. If they start to get mushy DON”T worry. This is actually a good thing; they will yield a creamier hummus. Drain, reserving a ½ cup of cooking liquid in case the hummus is too thick. Cool completely.
While the chickpeas are cooling, in a food processor blend the garlic, lemon and salt.
Add the chickpeas and tahini and pulse a few times. Add 2 small ice cubes or 3-4 tablespoons of ice water and puree for a few minutes until creamy, scrape down the sies and puree a bit more. Adjust the flavor by adding more salt, tahini or lemon.
Spread it into a shallow bowl and drizzle with some good olive oil, sprinkle with some paprika, or my favorite, za’atar.
NOTES
I no longer use canned chickpeas for hummus as they aren’t soft enough to get that creamy texture.
The overnight soak, allows for a quicker cook.
The baking soda helps to break down the skin which yields a creamier texture.
The ice/ice water also help the water emulsify the tahini and aerate it.