So there's this girl... her vibrant energy is infectious and I don't think I've met anyone as positive as her. She loves hummus (I think it's a slight obsession, but a good healthy one).
To my gorgeous flatmate - this one's for you!
"Hummus bi tahina" is the rightful name to this protein-packed Levantine Arab dip. "Hummus" actually means chickpea or garbanzo in Arabic. Chickpeas have been eaten in the Middle East for a good 10,000 years ago and sesame has been used to make oil since 2500BCE.
The first documented recipe is a variation of the hummus dip we know of today, containing vinegar instead of lemon juice and no garlic. It was called "hummas kasa" whose origins reign from 13th Century Medieval Egypt, Cairo. The cookbook in which it was found was called Wasf Al-Atima Al-Mutada ("description of familiar food").
Today, in Middle Eastern and Moroccan diets, hummus is a staple, eaten with bread, topped with olive oil and is served at every meal. Full of fibre, folate B6, protein, dietary fibre and monounsaturated fats... I guess you could call it a superfood or a super dip - and here’s how to make it.
Will make about 500g of dip
THE INGREDIENTS
125g dried chickpeas
10g tahini (or peanut butter if you don’t have any tahini in the pantry)
3g garlic (about a tsp)
20g lemon juice (about half a lemon)
200g good extra virgin olive oil
100g water
5g sea salt
THE METHOD
Throw dried chickpeas in a container and cover with water. Refrigerate and soak overnight so they can rehydrate and become nice and plump. The next day, rinse the chickpeas and pop them in a saucepan, cover with water and 2 tsp sea salt. Allow them to boil for about 20-3o minutes until nice and tender. Strain and cool.
In a food processor, blend the chickpeas with garlic, lemon juice, tahini and water. Add in the olive oil a bit at a time. (You may add more olive oil or water, depending on the consistency you want the hummus).
Finally, add the sea salt. Add more or less according to your taste.
When all is blitzed and combined, store your hummus in an airtight container in the fridge. The lemon and tahini will help preserve it for up to 2-3 weeks.
Serving suggestion; spoon the delicious hummus into a nice decorative bowl, top with chopped flat will make about 500g of dip
THE INGREDIENTS
125g dried chickpeas
10g tahini (or peanut butter if you don’t have any tahini in the pantry)
3g garlic (about a tsp)
20g lemon juice (about half a lemon)
200g good extra virgin olive oil
100g water
5g sea salt
THE METHOD
Throw dried chickpeas in a container and cover with water. Refrigerate and soak overnight so they can rehydrate and become nice and plump. The next day, rinse the chickpeas and pop them in a saucepan, cover with water and 2 tsp sea salt. Allow them to boil for about 20-3o minutes until nice and tender. Strain and cool.
In a food processor, blend the chickpeas with garlic, lemon juice, tahini and water. Add in the olive oil a bit at a time. (You may add more olive oil or water, depending on the consistency you want the hummus).
Finally, add the sea salt. Add more or less according to your taste.
When all is blitzed and combined, store your hummus in an airtight container in the fridge. The lemon and tahini will help preserve it for up to 2-3 weeks.
Serving suggestion; spoon the delicious hummus into a nice decorative bowl, top with chopped flat-leaf parsley, smoked paprika and a swig of that extra virgin olive oil. Dip in some Manoush bread for a perfect combination and a healthy leaf parsley, smoked paprika and a swig of that extra virgin olive oil.