Monday, November 26, 2012

Hummus - the versatile Middle Eastern Dip


Hummus had been on my list to try for a long time. Somehow i had not made it, surprisingly for it is such a simple dip with all the ingredients I almost always have. Finally i made it along with Falafel, a fritter with chickpeas and pita bread (recipes will soon follow).


Hummus is a dip/spread that is made from chickpeas/garbanzo beans. In fact, hummus is the Arabic word for chickpea. It is apparently one of the oldest foods dating back to ancient Egypt.

There are so many variations for the recipe of Hummus, just like our chutney, fo example. Each one has their own preference for ingredients, and their quantities, spice and salt level and so on. The only common factor being Garbanzo beans and Olive oil. Some versions use Tahini - a paste of roasted sesame seeds and olive oil and some do not. I have however made tahini as well and added it to my version of hummus.
Here's my version...

Hummus - The versatile Middle Eastern Dip

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: ~30 min to cook the beans, none after that

Ingredients:
Chickpeas or garbanzo beans - 1 cup, washed and soaked overnight
Lemon/lime juice - 2 Tbsp (adjust acc to taste)
Tahini - 2 Tbsp - Recipe below
Garlic - 2 cloves
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp, optional
Parsley - 2 Tbsp, chopped
Roasted Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp, optional
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Olive oil - 2-3 Tbsp

For Tahini
White sesame seeds - 2 Tbsp, roasted
Olive Oil - 1 Tbsp

Preparation:
  • Cook chikpeas in enough water till well cooked - for about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside. Reserve some of the water used for cooking
  • Roast white sesame seeds and grind it to a paste along with olive oil to make tahini paste.
  • Combine the chikpeas, tahini and the remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from boiling the chickpeas.
  • Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.
  • Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.
  • Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well.
  • Garnish with parsley (optional).
  • Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread or falafel or cover and refrigerate for later use.
  • Stays fresh in fridge for about 3 days.
Notes:
As said earlier, there are a number of possibilities to experiment with this simple dip. Vary your spices, add your favorites and try out.



6 comments:

  1. Am yet to make this ...looks perfect dip ..

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  2. Hummus with pita chips, simply love it..Prefectly done.

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  3. I make this all the time too. One of my favorite dips! I'm so lazy that I use canned chickpeas :)

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  4. My favourite too..I can eat it everyday if I want too.This is very popular here in the Middle East.

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