How to make hummus

Hummus is a tasty and nutritious food that can be used in a variety of ways. You can fill a sandwich with it, or dip pita triangles, chips, crackers, or raw veggies in it. Here is a good basic recipe.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Food Processor
• 1 cup dried chickpeas
• 3 cloves raw garlic
• 1/3 cup sesame tahini
• Juice from 1 large lemon (about 3 Tablespoons)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 bulb roasted garlic (optional)
• 1 roasted red pepper (optional)

1. Soak the dried chickpeas in cold water for 6 hours. Drain and rinse. Put in medium saucepan with 1 quart of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover, cook until tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

2. Drain chickpeas, saving out some of the cooking water. Place chickpeas and all other ingredients into a food processor. Blend until smooth. Add as much of the chickpea cooking water as you need to create the desired consistency.

3. Add any of the optional ingredients to create a variety of flavors.

4. Place in covered container and chill in the refrigerator. Serve with additional olive oil drizzled over the top. Enjoy!

Tips & Warnings

• To intensify the flavor, roast the cumin beforehand in a small skillet on high heat, stirring constantly. It only takes a minute.
• There are several brands of sesame tahini available, and the one you choose can dramatically affect the flavor of your hummus. Raw tahini can give your hummus a stronger and more bitter flavor. Canned, roasted tahini has a milder, nuttier flavor.

Resources

• http://www.veganspoonful.com

[smilesmt]

on 5/28/2009 where do you purchase sesame tahini?

[Zibahrose]

on 3/2/2009 Thank you...I have rehydrated the chickpeas but did not know whether or not to cook them...you have answered that question. Thanx for the article; very informative.

[Sarahla]

on 1/9/2009 I let the chickpeas soak over night. Not only did they grow larger they cooked much faster, maybe 20-25 min. Omigod, the taste of fresh, warm hummus is unbelievable...and garlicky!

[leanan]

on 11/8/2008 I love hummus, thanks for a great recipe!

[lulu2dalu]

on 10/9/2008 wow very tasty