Hummus

I recently asked on my facebook page , what people wanted to see next from The Teeny Kitchen That Could.  My dear friend Raegan, asked if I would post my hummus recipe.

What was your first exposure to hummus?  The first time I heard of it was in the 90's from the Disney movie, Aladdin.  The Genie tells Aladdin, "Wake up and smell the hummus."  Needless to say, I wasn't lining up to taste it.  I thought it must be stinky and nasty.  There are so many foods that are considered delicacies around the world but to our western palettes, they're gross. (Click here for some truly nasty "delicacies" from around the world.)  Not so with hummus. It came in vogue, because it is heart healthy and good for you.  I started seeing it everywhere and finding recipes for it.  I looked at the ingredients and saw chickpeas (their alter ego is the garbanzo!) and garlic....no nasty stuff here! I was unfamiliar with just one of the ingredients: tahini.  I went to the grocery store and found it is just ground sesame seeds, similar in texture to peanut butter.  I whipped up my first batch of hummus and it was love at first taste!

I love hummus; my whole family does.  As a matter of fact, two of my children are chowing down on the batch I just made.  Here's how I make it:

Hummus:
Printable Recipe 
2 or 3 garlic cloves
1/2 t. salt
1 can (16 oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/3 c. tahini, (stir it first)
1/4 c. olive oil
2 T. lemon juice (fresh squeezed is best)
1/2 c. water

On a cutting board, smash your garlic, discard the peel and rough chop it.  Add the salt and mince it finely into a paste like consistency.

OK...I like a little more garlic....try the smaller amount first to know what your preferences are.

Dump your rinsed and drained chickpeas into a food processor (or a blender).

Add the tahini, garlic paste, lemon juice (fresh is best) and olive oil.

 Now add about 1/4 c. of the water.

Give it a whirl......

Now is the time to check and see if the consistency is right.  If it is like mashed potatoes, then it is too thick.  Add a bit more water.  I find that 1/2 c. is just right, but you may need more or less depending on the chickpeas.

Time for a taste test!

 The hummus is finished.  For this particular batch, I used dried chickpeas that I cooked like you would any other dried bean.  They were a little on the firm side so the hummus wasn't as smooth as it would have been if I would have used canned beans.  If you use dried chickpeas, you'll need just two cups of cooked beans.

Store in the ice box.....but it won't last long!

Serve with the traditional pita chips or like my family, tortilla chips.  It is also great as a dip for veggies.

* A note on tahini.  It is expensive, about $8 a jar, but you get many, many batches of hummus from a jar so it is a good investment.  It also lasts forever in the fridge, just make sure you stir it well because the oil will separate on the top.