Hummus is everyone’s favorite appetizer at any number of Greek and Mediterranean restaurants. Some of us even purchase hummus at the store, to enjoy with pita bread or vegetables. But, did you know that you can also easily make hummus at home? All you need are a few basic kitchen appliances, fresh ingredients, and tahini, which can be purchased at most specialty food stores. From there, you’re just a few spins of your food processor away from creamy hummus!
Ingredients:
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas or 1 1/2 cups (250 grams) cooked chickpeas
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon)
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) well-stirred tahini
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt to taste
• 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) water
• Dash ground paprika or sumac, for serving
Instructions:
1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tahini and lemon juice and process for 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then process for 30 seconds more.
2. Add the olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the whipped tahini and lemon juice. Process for 30 seconds, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then process another 30 seconds or until well blended.
3. Open, drain, and rinse the chickpeas. Add half of the chickpeas to the food processor and process for 1 minute. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl, then add remaining chickpeas and process until thick and quite smooth; 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Most likely the hummus will be too thick or still have tiny bits of chickpea. To fix this, with the food processor turned on, slowly add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water until you reach the perfect consistency.
5. Taste for salt and adjust as needed. Serve hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and dash of paprika. Store homemade hummus in an airtight container and refrigerate up to one week.
Shake up your household menu – and put your fully equipped kitchen to use – with this easy-to-follow recipe, courtesy of Westmount at Three Fountains Apartments in San Antonio, Texas.