If you didn’t know already, hummus is the quintessential, Middle Eastern, delicious dip made from chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and spices.
We grew up in the Middle East downing lots of this dip with our best friends. This one is not some random dip you pick at, while waiting for the main meal, this IS a meal in itself. It is our ultimate comfort food; we even wipe off the olive oil left in the bowl. That’s how you eat Hummus!
Tahini paste: Dry roast a cup of white sesame seeds – only brown these; make sure they don’t burn. Make a paste of it with 1/2 cup pure olive oil (extra virgin is the best – don’t ever use olive pomace oil – only use extra virgin olive oil or plain olive oil)
Soak 2 cups garbanzo beans (white chana) for minimum 12 hours and then pressure cook with some water until you get 7-8 whistles. Save the water. Shell the beans (we don’t cos we don’t have the patience or the time and mainly cos it tastes the same) and in a mixer, mash up the beans, 1/2 or 1 cup tahini paste, salt, juice of one small lemon, 5 cloves of garlic and 1/2 cup of olive oil.
Taste in between while it is being creamed in the mixer. If thick, add more olive oil. Yummmmmy.
Note: Only use the exact same ingredients, in the exact same measure.
By Linda Joseph Kavalackal,
Christ & Co.
