Hummus

My son loves hummus, but the store-bought kinds usually have preservatives. When I do my grocery shopping these days, I am really trying to buy products without preservatives or unnecessary ingredients. Hummus is a great source of vegetarian protein, and if you have a good food processor at home, it’s really not difficult to make. 

I learned the trick to making smooth hummus from a friend who is married to a Turk. The best way to get the velvet texture of homemade hummus is to use warm chickpeas. In my recipe here, I used dried chickpeas, not canned ones. It’s a bit of work to rehydrate and cook them, but you can always make extra and freeze it. Just reheat whenever you need them for recipes. Another important note for making smooth hummus is to remove the skins from the chickpeas.

Equipment required: food processor with wide opening

Makes just over a cup

Ingredients

• 2 tsp tahini
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas, skin removed, warmed (if they are previously frozen, reheat them in the microwave so that they are warm when going into the food processor)
• 2 tsp garlic paste
• 1/4 cup warm water (start with this amount and add more to get the preferred consistency)
• 1/8 cup plus 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Juice from 1/2 lemon

Recipe Preparation

Add warmed chickpeas, garlic paste, lemon juice, and tahini into the food processor and blend until coarse. Keep the processor running and add olive oil and warm water into the mixture through the opening. The mixture should start to loosen up and form the right consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with a drizzle of extra olive oil and a sprinkle of sumac. Serve with fresh pita bread or veggie sticks.